Sandra Jewett - SVL Cultura Ambassador

August 10, 2014

Good morning. We continue with the introduction of our next SVL Cultura Ambassador. Dr. Sandra Jewett is a highly accomplished and successful senior executive and educator. She has dedicated her entire career to improve and provide educational equity and equal access to underserved and/or underrepresented students both in the United States and abroad. Sandra has taught at all three levels in K-12 education and possesses both teaching and administrative credentials. In addition, she holds multiple post-graduate degrees in education, organizational leadership and theology. During her tenure in public, charter and private education, Sandra served as a bilingual teacher, dean, vice principal, principal, director, assistant superintendent, vice president for educational services and adjunct college professor in the College of Education. She has extensive background and knowledge on increasing student achievement through her support of teachers, coaches, and administrators. Because of her commitment to systemic change, her doctoral dissertation focused on organizational leadership specifically on how to create and establish meaningful professional development systems for urban principals that provide excellent instructional and managerial leadership that lead whole school improvement efforts. Her expertise lies on mentoring and coaching, blended learning, curriculum, instruction, language acquisition and school administration. In fact, Sandra’s track record is evidenced by the substantial gain in student achievement that each of her schools attained, including being recognized as National Blue Ribbon and California Distinguished Schools, and Title I Achievement Awards.

In her role as Executive Vice President, Chief Learning Officer and Chief Executive Officer, for international for-profit companies, she has been able to expand her vision and commitment across the globe, whereby bringing education via blended learning platforms in an array of partnerships and collaborations with foreign governments, universities, and enterprises. Sandra has developed materials and workshops specifically on English Language Development and has published interdisciplinary instructional materials that support 5-12 grade students and teachers. Likewise, she has published materials to support principals in their responsibilities as managerial site leaders and in their fund development responsibilities. Most recently, her efforts were showcased in “Collaboration and Peak Performance: A Multidisciplinary Perspective for Emerging Leaders”,which addressed effective strategies that support teaching and learning, that included data driven analysis, teacher feedback, and parent engagement. In an effort, to compliment her work on parent advocacy and involvement, Sandra published a hands-on book on how parents can be more meaningfully involved in their children’s academic and spiritual formation. To accompany such themes, she has been a guest speaker at the Schools of Education for Rutgers University, Santa Clara, Stanford, and the University of San Francisco, as well as at national and state educational conferences, and Spanish and Portuguese radio stations. Sandra is very committed to community service and has served in a number of non-profit boards. Currently, she sits on the Library and Early Education Commission for the City of San Jose; Chairs the International Service Committee for the Downtown San Jose Rotary; and serves as Board President for Teatro Vision. In addition, she is a peer reviewer for the American Educational Research Association and sits in the educational committees for STEM and the 100 Women Foundation. Hence, Sandra’s focus has revolved around the exciting opportunity of making a transformative difference in the lives of children and adults in the areas of education and health, as well as bringing cultural appreciation toward the Latino and Chicano culture in Silicon Valley. Moreover, because social justice is very important to Sandra, her Masters in Theology has allowed her the opportunity to actively support the empowerment of women. Her most recent theological publication was featured in the Journal of the Mercy Association in Scripture and Theology. She periodically is invited to speak at conventions and conferences, to discuss with mix groups, how faith and spirituality can serve as a symbol of liberation and empowerment. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and closest friends, traveling, genealogy and photography.