GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) -- Joseph Alcaraz believes Shawmut Hills Academy is one of the best-kept secrets in Grand Rapids.
“We want to bring children here because it is truly a hidden gem,” Alcaraz said. “I’m thrilled to be here. If we haven't met, it's just a matter of time before we do. I look forward to that.”
Alcaraz began his career as a teacher in Detroit before becoming a principal outside Boston. Becoming a grandfather eventually brought him back to Michigan.
“The moment I got the news I was going to be a grandfather my goal was to be home,” he said.
Alcaraz believes the staff at Shawmut Hills make the school truly special.
“That's what really sold me on the school, is that teachers are here for the right reasons,” he said. “I like to be an extension of my staff and them an extension of me - and what can we do together to really make the gains for our children.”
His approach to leadership is also shaped by his own upbringing. Alcaraz grew up in a large, close-knit family with nine sisters and five brothers.
“I had an upbringing from my father who believed that we can do anything we decide he wanted to do,” he said.
For Alcaraz, the most rewarding part of education has always been the relationships he builds with scholars.
“It was always the joy that would show up on their faces, the excitement of them coming back into the classroom, the high fives, the hugs, the sticky fingers,” he said. “It's those moments where you don't know the impact you're having, but just knowing that you really are having an impact.”