"Coming from Brazil as I do, I bring a somewhat different perspective to education in America," said Daniela Boer, Principal of Julia Lathrop Elementary in Rockford's Southwest Side. "And, despite my proud immigrant status—or perhaps because of it—I was and still am ambitious. I really, really care about education."

 Boer first came to Rockford as an exchange student at Harlem High School, an experience that transformed her life.

 "I fell in love with the culture and everything about the United States," she recalled. "When I returned to Brazil, I was inspired to pursue a career in education. I saw it as a way to return to northern Illinois and make a difference through bilingual education."

 In high school, advisors at Harlem High didn't realize her native language was Portuguese, and Daniela landed in a Spanish language class, inadvertently learning Spanish alongside English. 

 Years later in 2007, that serendipitous misunderstanding contributed to Boer landing a teaching job with RPS 205. She was passionate about teaching and particularly focused on easing the educational journeys of bilingual students in those early years at RPS. However, she knew she wanted to have a broader impact than was possible in a single classroom.

So, Daniela was ready in 2020 when an opportunity arose to join the nascent RPS/NIU Principal Residency Program. The well-crafted program offered a pathway to earn a M.S. Ed in Educational Administration by night — with tuition covered by RPS — while earning a substantial salary serving as a Dean in what amounted to a high-level, paid internship.

 "The Principal Residency Program is the perfect blend of gaining practical experience and the educational and administrative skills needed to be a Principal," she explained. "The fact that the district pays a generous salary to participants in their internships makes it easy to commit."

 "I still love teaching and interacting with children, but I wanted to have a greater impact," Boer continued. "The RPS/NIU Principal Residency Program provides a feasible path to leadership in education. As Principals, we interact with teachers and parents, acting as intermediaries between our schools and the main district office. We're involved in the community and seen as leaders, which is an ideal platform for me to advocate effectively for immigrant children and ESL students. I can see myself in all their faces."

Boer's educational journey has included studies at various Brazilian schools, Harlem High, Rockford University, Concordia College and Northern Illinois University.