Letter to the Editor: An Opinion About Madison Elementary’s Principal Juan Ruelas

To the editor of Pasadena Now,

Much has been written about Juan Ruelas recently, and I want to offer my opinion.

I met Juan Ruelas when asked to create a sensory lab for students with special needs at Roosevelt. He recognized the need to improve their educational experience and was committed to meeting their specific needs. The school was clean and orderly, the staff welcoming. Once when a line of students passed us in the hall, a boy acknowledged Mr. Ruelas, and they exchanged a high five. Such a spontaneous gesture between student and principal impressed me.

Recently I presented a workshop at Madison for parents of children entering kindergarten in August. Because children learn while playing, the focus was play-based activities for developing fine motor skills. By offering this well-received workshop, Mr. Ruelas served the best interests of the children by insuring parents know easy-to-implement ways to support learning. I encountered professionalism from the staff, orderly, engaged students, and a clean, welcoming environment.

Transforming an underperforming school takes an abiding commitment to positive outcomes and hard work. That Mr. Ruelas has the best interests of the students and their families in mind shows in the already significant improvements to the school.
Christina Wallerstein