Leadership - Columbia Heights Educational Campus

By every measure Maria Tukeva’s tenure as Principal of Columbia Heights Educational Campus has been a great success.   In June of 2010 Newsweek ranked Bell Multicultural High as the 39th best high school in the US.  Under her leadership, CHEC has become a model school ensuring that minority, immigrant and refugee youth receive equal educational opportunities. Numerous organizations including the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Labor and the White House have cited CHEC as "a school of excellence."  Ms. Tukeva’s leadership has produced stunning results.

BRIEF HISTORY

Ms. Tukeva is the founding and current Principal of BMHS as well as the new Principal of BMHS’ feeder school, Lincoln Multicultural Middle School (LMMS).  The joint merger  of BMHS and LMMS is known as the Columbia Heights Educational Campus (CHEC).   Ms. Tukeva also serves as the founding Executive Director of Multicultural Career Intern Program, the nonprofit affiliate of CHEC.

As CHEC’s educational leader, Ms. Tukeva is responsible for overseeing curriculum development, the program of study, professional development, student activities and discipline, administrative and support services, guidance and counseling, career  development and placement.

For three years in the nineties, Ms. Tukeva served as a Lead Principal for the DC Public Schools.  In this position, in addition to continuing to administer BMHS, she had responsibility for coordinating communications to 33 schools in the DC Public Schools.   This role was reprised from 2005 to 2006 when Ms. Tukeva was appointed Assistant Superintendent for High Schools while simultaneously maintaining her role as Principal BMHS.  

At the end of her term as Assistant Superintendent Ms. Tukeva turned her attention to the local school reform efforts that she had previously initiated at Lincoln Multicultural Middle School - the feeder school to BMHS.  After a year of careful planning  that involved community and parental outreach, creating a grades 6-12 curriculum alignment and working closely with DCPS’ central administration, Ms. Tukeva was appointed by DCPS to lead the Columbia Heights Educational Campus -  the District's first integrated middle-high school educational venture.  CHEC is an early college campus, with the goal of sending 100% of all graduates to college, by encouraging dual enrollment in high school and college courses.

Prior to working at the MCIP and BMHS, Ms. Tukeva served for three years as Administrative Director of Andromeda Mental Health Center, and worked as an educational specialist for SER-Jobs for Progress, a national Hispanic organization, for two years.   In this capacity she taught high school life skills classes, trained teachers and developed curricula.

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS

Imagen Foundation, Latina of the Year - Education, 2008
The Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia, The Hugh A. Johnson Jr. Memorial Award (for Outstanding Contributions to the Latino Community), 2007
Washington D.C. Education Hall of Fame, April 2007
Appointed Assistant Superintendent for High Schools, D.C. Public Schools, 2005
MANA, A Latina Organization, "Las Primeras," 2003
March of Dimes, Celebrando La Mujer Latina," 2003
The Washington Post, Distinguished Educational Leaderships Award, 2002
DC Public Schools Outstanding Leadership for achieving 5 of 6 Target, 2002
National Association of Secondary School Principals, Principal of the Year, 2000
Hispanic Magazine Award for Educator of the Year, 1997
La Nacion Latino of the Year, 1996
GANAS Award for Leadership by a Local Individual, 1995
DC Public Schools Award for Exemplary and Purposeful Leadership, 1994
Multicultural Institute Award, 1993
PEPCO Educator of the Year Award, 1992
Washingtonian of the Year, Washingtonian Magazine, 1990
D.C. City Council Recognition Resolution Award, 1989
Seven Who Care, Channel 7 Award, 1987
LULAC Hispanic Educator of the Year, 1987
Ward 1 Award for Public Service, 1988
Latino Newspaper Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Hispanic Community, 1984
Mayors Office on Latino Affairs Award, 1983