Published Nov. 8, 2023
BY ANNA PRESCOTT
After the retirement of long-time Carmel River Elementary School principal Jay Marden last spring, Alberto Ramirez stepped into the role, ready to reinforce the positive and connected community at the school.
“I absolutely love my job,” Ramirez explains. “I love impacting positive change and problem-solving. I love supporting teachers. They just amaze me. You will never find individuals with bigger hearts. I love working with parents, and I absolutely love working with children.”
A Mexico City native, Ramirez first discovered his passion for education when he became a classroom aide after receiving a bachelor’s in Architecture from U.C. Berkeley.
Alberto Ramirez brings compassion, positivity and a smile to Carmel River Elementary School. (photo by ALBERTO RAMIREZ)
Inspired by 17 years working as a teacher, mentor and coach, Ramirez decided to then pursue leadership positions in education, earning his administrative service credential and a master’s in educational administration. The national board-certified teacher then gained experience as an assistant principal and principal, working at a variety of schools and with different age groups.
An avid swimmer, hiker and kayaker, Ramirez heard about Carmel River from some of his friends and knew that the environment and culture of the beach-side school would be a perfect fit for him. He started at the school July 5 and now works to sustain the positive environment on campus, all while delivering students the best education possible.
“It is very important to me that I know each one of them well, their strengths and areas of need so I can put things in place for them to maximize their potential,” says Ramirez, who prioritizes familiarizing himself with every student at the school.
In order to effectively support every child’s school experience, he strives to connect with the teachers and staff.
“He has worked countless hours trying to figure out all the moving parts of a new job while bringing positivity and enthusiasm to each school day,” principal’s secretary Connie Weilenmann says.
At the start of this school year, many teachers and staff at Carmel River were uneasy due to the recent tumult throughout CUSD and apprehensive about the change in leadership, but Ramirez’s uplifting and caring attitude soon brought them reassurance.
“I had a complete sense of relief and hope immediately after my first interaction with our new principal, Mr. Ramirez,” school nurse Melissa Anderson says. “His authenticity and compassion for the new position is what immediately stood out to me. I knew right away that he was not here to change our culture but to only make it better.”
