Seattle Public Schools announces Israel Vela as new SW executive director

Three weeks after we reported that former Roxhill Elementary principal Carmela Dellino was leaving her position as the district’s executive director of Schools after a year, her successor has just been announced by Seattle Public Schools superintendent José Banda:

I am pleased to announce that Mr. Israel Vela has been appointed Executive Director of Schools for the Southwest region.

Mr. Vela will support the principals and schools in the southwest region of the city with responsibilities that include coaching principals, coordinating professional development for principals and teachers, strengthening our systems for monitoring and using student data, and conducting frequent learning walks in the schools – all in service of ensuring a world-class, 21st century education for every child in every classroom in the Southwest region.

Mr. Vela comes to Seattle from the Kent School District, where he has held leadership roles for the past 13 years.

He was principal at Meridian Elementary, Director of Student Services, and most recently Executive Director, Student and Family Support Services.

Prior to Kent School District, Vela served for 13 years with Lake Washington School District as assistant principal, staff development trainer, and summer instructional technology specialist. Vela’s teaching career includes serving as a fourth and fifth grade teacher in Moses Lake and Lake Washington School Districts.

Vela was named the Kent City of Commerce Educator of the Year in 2007, and has served as board member and president of Kent Youth and Family Services.

Vela earned a principal certification and masters of education in education technology at City University. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from Central Washington University.

Mr. Israel replaces Carmela Dellino, who left Seattle Public Schools to join the City of Seattle. In her role with the city, Ms. Dellino will work closely with the elementary schools that are recipients of Families & Education Levy funds. We wish Carmela well and thank her for her service to our students and schools.

Please join me in welcoming Israel Vela as Executive Director of Schools for the Southwest Region.

(Photo from Kent School District website)

evergreen August 6, 2013 (2:33 pm)

Welcome, please consider staying a while and investing in us long-term.

AH-ite August 6, 2013 (2:34 pm)

Great! We need him to do well, for the benefit of our students.

Mama3boys August 6, 2013 (2:35 pm)

Good quick work SPS! Welcome to West Seattle Mr. Vela!

JD August 6, 2013 (3:20 pm)

How long does this one plan on being around? SPS seems to be a rotating door for higher level employees

Ruth S August 6, 2013 (4:27 pm)

Greetings Mr. Vela,
K-5 STEM PTA looks forward to showing you our school.

Sandy toes August 6, 2013 (4:33 pm)

….And, here we go again.

Tracy August 6, 2013 (5:11 pm)

Let me just say welcome and apologize for other people’s snarky and premature comments. Kind of a rude way to onboard someone who hasn’t even started yet. Maybe reserve your criticism for the appropriate parties?

bailecyclist August 6, 2013 (9:23 pm)

Another layer of bureaucracy. Eliminate downtown!

evergreen August 6, 2013 (11:50 pm)

I was serious, not snarky.

Sandy toes August 7, 2013 (1:37 am)

…. And I wasn’t being “snarky” either…. I’m just taking a breath, and getting ready to go through ALL the welcoming, believing, planning, hoping, etc, etc….. You can’t blame any of us for being weary of this roller coaster…. The never ending shell game is not fair to the teachers, students, or families.

tt August 7, 2013 (10:20 am)

and I’m curious…. is Kent a successful school district? that’s where all the pregnant teen jokes came from when Almost Live was around. ;-)
not that that’s the only indicator…

WSB August 7, 2013 (10:36 am)

I don’t know (perhaps someone else does) but the suburbs are far different places from the jokey heyday of Almost Live! (which I loved dearly in the early ’90s, as did many) West Seattle never seemed to be on their radar, though … perhaps a good thing.

JJ August 7, 2013 (12:06 pm)

Seattle Schools is getting a great person in Israel, he has been great and has really made connections within the community. I know we in Kent are sad to see him go!

trt August 7, 2013 (1:59 pm)

I sincerely hope that he is an advocate for the Southwest Region like Carmella was. I hope he understands he needs to be working for our students: determining what the SW Region’s NEEDS are and how the district can help with those needs so the state standards can be met (and surpassed). We have so many strong schools that have to deal with the years of district misdirection. This district seems to have it backwards: they forget that the students’ needs should come first! I am hopeful that he will be a strong leader for the SW Region and an advocate for our students.

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