A warm welcome to SPS for new families
Meet our new Enrollment Office Director Teresa Rodriguez.
Welcome to Somerville Public Schools! What attracted you to this position?
It was Somerville and the enrollment team. This is a community that is dedicated to education and supporting families, as well as having a strong immigrant history. Thanks to the work of my predecessor, I have a team of experienced, committed staff whose focus is helping families from a variety of backgrounds.
What does the Enrollment Office do?
Our job is to welcome people. We let them know that we are happy they are in Somerville and we support them through the process of enrolling their children in our schools. We want families to start out their experience in Somerville Public Schools on a positive note. We have enrollment staff who speak Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Spanish, Cape Verdean Creole, and French, and we have access to interpreters from the Multilingual Services Team who can help us with even more languages. We make sure people feel comfortable asking questions about schools and enrolling a student.
Have there been any surprises in your new role?
Somerville offers a lot of personalized attention for families that need it. Parents and guardians can call us for help, come in for an appointment, or just stop by. We support them through the enrollment process and also collaborate with city departments to point families toward other services they might need.
What are some of the highlights of your role?
I work with a great team. I love thinking about goals and setting the agenda for the coming year. I hear great stories from families as they enroll their students, from newcomers to families who have lived in Somerville for generations. It’s fun to welcome families and help them learn about our schools.
I also enjoy connecting with people at community events so I can get to know families and share information about our office and how we can help. Our office coordinates with community and neighborhood groups that want more information about our office. We will come talk to you at your group’s meetings about how we can help families.
What do you do in your free time?
I have a close-knit family and I have a lot of friends. I’ve also maintained relationships with former students who are now local politicians, community leaders, performers, writers, and everything in between. I love to support their campaigns or see their performances and attend their weddings!
Learn more about the Enrollment Office or enroll a student in Somerville Public Schools: https://somerville.k12.ma.us/enrollment
R. Ronen, Coordinator of District Communications