Principal Nina Oropeza
Hello, नमस्कार, haye, hola,مرحبا Sustainability Academy Community!
My name is Nina Oropeza (she/her) and I am the Principal of Sustainability Academy Elementary School. This is my 6th year at SA and my 15th year as an educator. I’ve spent my career working in a diverse set of schools across the country from the US-Mexico border in Texas to Washington D.C. and most recently, Boston, Massachusetts. I grew up on the central coast of California, a place that is very special to me. Across all of these places and settings, Sustainability Academy in Burlington, VT is undeniably the most special school community I’ve ever been a part of. I have a deep love for our diverse community that is centered around environmental, social, and economic justice.
My career in education began as a classroom teacher in a high school located on the US-Mexico border. Living and working in this setting cultivated my appreciation and love for communities that embrace multiple languages, cultures, and customs. After teaching high school, I transitioned to teaching elementary school in Washington D.C. I then transitioned to district-level leadership, serving as the Director of Design for D.C. Public Schools in Washington D.C., a role focused on teacher leadership and professional development programming across the district’s 115 schools. I have a B.A. in Social Welfare with a minor in Education from the University of California, Berkeley as well as an M.Ed. in School Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
When I am not at SA, you can find me trying to keep up with my toddler daughter and spending lots of time outside with my partner and our two dogs. My door is open – please stop by and visit me at SA sometime soon or send me an email (noropeza@bsdvt.org) if you want to connect.
