|
|
Ms. Lillian Fontán is a retired principal of Hill Central School in New Haven, Connecticut, with 39 years of distinguished service in K–12 education. Throughout her career, she has served as a bilingual teacher, ESL teacher, Dual Language Coordinator, district high school ELL instructional coach, assistant principal, principal, and core member of CT READS, dedicating her work to advancing educational opportunities for multilingual learners and high-need student populations.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Spanish, a Master’s degree in TESOL and Bilingual Education, and a Sixth-Year Certificate in Educational Leadership from Southern Connecticut State University. A passionate advocate for professional learning, Ms. Fontán has been instrumental in implementing the Sheltered Content Model at the high school level and has collaborated extensively with Dr. Liliana Minaya-Rowe to support the successful schoolwide implementation of the SIOP Plus Model. Her expertise has also led her to train district coaches, consult with school leaders, and present at conferences and professional development programs across Connecticut.
As one of the co-founding members of the Connecticut Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (CALAS), Ms. Fontán has proudly served as Executive Director for the past nine years. Under her leadership, CALAS has expanded its impact in developing, supporting, and advancing Latino educational leaders throughout Connecticut and beyond. One of her proudest accomplishments has been CALAS being recognized as the 2025–2026 ALAS State Affiliate of the Year, a testament to the organization’s collective commitment to advancing Latino leadership, equity and opportunity in education across Connecticut.
Among her many professional achievements, Ms. Fontán successfully led Hill Central School out of turnaround status and guided the school in earning a TAPS Award for effective leadership and collaborative teacher teams. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in her mantra, “Teamwork breeds success.” She remains deeply committed to shared leadership, professional collaboration, high-quality instruction, teacher efficacy, and cultivating the next generation of Latino leaders. As a second-language learner herself, she brings both personal insight and professional expertise to her work, inspiring others to make a meaningful difference in the lives of students and communities.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Spanish, a Master’s degree in TESOL and Bilingual Education, and a Sixth-Year Certificate in Educational Leadership from Southern Connecticut State University. A passionate advocate for professional learning, Ms. Fontán has been instrumental in implementing the Sheltered Content Model at the high school level and has collaborated extensively with Dr. Liliana Minaya-Rowe to support the successful schoolwide implementation of the SIOP Plus Model. Her expertise has also led her to train district coaches, consult with school leaders, and present at conferences and professional development programs across Connecticut.
As one of the co-founding members of the Connecticut Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (CALAS), Ms. Fontán has proudly served as Executive Director for the past nine years. Under her leadership, CALAS has expanded its impact in developing, supporting, and advancing Latino educational leaders throughout Connecticut and beyond. One of her proudest accomplishments has been CALAS being recognized as the 2025–2026 ALAS State Affiliate of the Year, a testament to the organization’s collective commitment to advancing Latino leadership, equity and opportunity in education across Connecticut.
Among her many professional achievements, Ms. Fontán successfully led Hill Central School out of turnaround status and guided the school in earning a TAPS Award for effective leadership and collaborative teacher teams. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in her mantra, “Teamwork breeds success.” She remains deeply committed to shared leadership, professional collaboration, high-quality instruction, teacher efficacy, and cultivating the next generation of Latino leaders. As a second-language learner herself, she brings both personal insight and professional expertise to her work, inspiring others to make a meaningful difference in the lives of students and communities.
