Who is Jose Torres?
ELGIN -- When Jose M. Torres eases in to his couch and turns on his iPod, he might tune into some Tupac Shakur, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis or even watch The Princess Bride.
This eclectic taste of media perhaps mirrors the 48-year-old native Puerto Rican's diverse background, something he's heavily relying on as he inches closer to taking over the reins as Elgin School District U46 chief.
(Shauna Bittle/Staff Photographer)
He might have the salt-of-the-earth appeal mixed with sophistication, but he's relatively unknown to many local community members. The Courier News sat down with Torres in an exclusive interview to get his take on why he's here, what he plans to do, and how he plans to do it.
"When I was 17 years old and I came to this country, I had a heavy accent so I've been that non-native speaker in an English-speaking setting, I know what that's like," said Torres empathizing with about 42 percent of population in U46 which is non-native-English speaking, according to 2007 state data.
"To that kid working at McDonald's, I can tell him to go to community college while he's working because I am a product of community college," Torres continued, pointing to his first experience with higher education at Prince George's Community College in Largo, Md., in 1980, "and I can tell him don't be limited and stop there, go on to a four-year university. It's possible.
"I grew up in poverty in Puerto Rico and I was raised by a working mom, so I know what that means," Torres said, relating to about 20 percent of the population in U46, which is low-income, according to 2007 state data.
"I can reach the educated people because I have a Ph.D., and I've lived in the suburbs of (Washington,) D.C., so I know what that's like," Torres continued reflecting on his academic accomplishments including a doctorate in education from the University of Maryland at College Park and a fellowship at Harvard Graduate School of Education and Harvard Business School in Cambridge.
With experiences relating to a wide range of the U46 community, the Chicago Public Schools regional superintendent from the city's toughest parts of the South Side has a full résumé.
Being a superintendent "is not a job. It's a mission and it's a part of me," said Torres, who has three grown children.
He's counting on rising "to his calling" by building trust with the U46 community through "being available to people, listening to people, and following up on commitments," whether that's through monthly lunches with teachers and administrative staff, advisory board meetings with teachers and parents, or quarterly meetings with the media, Torres said.
He also expects to "use different tools" including radio shows and churches to reach various segments of the U46 population.
Through his determination to open up lines of communication, he guarantees that he's not here for an oversized salary and benefits package. He's here because "education has made a difference in my life, hands down, and it's my responsibility to give back to the community," said Torres, whose contract has yet to be negotiated or approved by the U46 Board of Education.
"U46 is a good school district and I'm going to work my tail off," Torres continued. "I'm a sucker for challenges, but I'm at a point in my career where I don't want to be at a school district that's so broken that it takes forever to get the job done."
Torres, who is set to begin in July, said U46 is "right where I want to be," citing the district's rising standardized test scores, quality teachers, and plans for improvement.
To make more strides, Torres said he doesn't "plan on making changes by criticizing" but by "putting my shoulder to the plow and by grabbing a paintbrush and getting engaged," so a year from now, "we have more hope that this district is on the right track."