Melissa Bailey Photo
Alicia Caraballo plans to attend her retirement party Wednesday — then return in a few weeks to the school board in a new capacity.
Caraballo (pictured) is the outgoing principal of the New Haven Adult Education Center.
Mayor Toni Harp on Monday tapped her to fill a vacancy on the eight-person Board of Education. She will start on July 1, if her appointment is approved by the Board of Alders.
Caraballo started out working for the district 26 years ago, as a school social worker. She rose to become principal of Hill Central School, supervisor of career and technical education and special education, and, for the past 10 years, principal of Adult Ed. She has strong ties to city neighborhoods. Click on the video to watch Caraballo, whose son was murdered in New Haven, speak at a press conference about the Project Longevity anti-gun violence initiative.
In making the appointment, Harp fulfilled teachers union president Dave Cicarella’s wishes of not picking another charter school employee to sit on the board.
New Haven’s school board is still the only one in the state that is entirely appointed by the mayor.
In 2016, the school board is set to replace two of its appointed members with elected members. According to the rules of the newly amended city charter, the city will be divided into two voting districts. Candidates will run for two elected school board seats, one serving each district, in an election in November of 2015.
This is the first smart thing the Board of Ed has done in years. She is tough but kind and knows first hand what is and is not working in the BOE. Congratulations Alicea!