[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8357]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING ISRAEL SOTO, LEADING EDUCATOR

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 5, 2012

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize a great force in 
the education of our children, Israel Soto, principal of PS/MS 57. He 
is retiring after a long career in public service. Mr. Soto got his 
start in education teaching in Washington Heights, in my congressional 
district. As a Puerto Rican immigrant, he has taken an active role in 
bilingual education, having served as a school Bilingual Coordinator 
and Assistant Director of Bilingual Education.
  In 1999, Mr. Soto ascended to principal of PS/MS 57, a pre-K 8 school 
in East Harlem. Last year, 67 percent of enrollees were Hispanic or 
Latino. Mr. Soto's expertise in bilingual education and the fact that 
his second language was English, like many of the school's students, 
made him an ideal choice for principal. His talents extend to all 
facets of education, however. Under his leadership, PS/MS 57 has gone 
from a near-failing school to one that received a grade of ``A'' in its 
latest Progress Report and is ranked in the 93rd percentile of all New 
York City K 8 schools.
  Mr. Soto has deservedly received numerous awards during his tenure as 
principal. In 2001, he was named ``Principal of the Month'' in his 
school district and in 2004 was recognized as the ``Educator of the 
Week'' by Channel 41. He has also been inducted into the ``Calm Fellows 
Program for Distinguished Principals'' at Columbia University as well 
as being honored by Children 4 Children, the YMCA of New York, the New 
York Post and El Diario La Prensa.
  Mr. Soto's work at PS/MS 57 serves as a model for current and future 
educators. He has built strong partnerships with teachers, parents, 
community organizations and the private sector while keeping his focus 
internal, on his students. This outreach has significantly increased 
the academic resources available to his students and demonstrates the 
supreme importance of an active and charismatic principal such as Mr. 
Soto.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in honoring a 
great man and an impassioned educator who, first and foremost, believes 
in all of our extraordinary children.

                          ____________________