Congratulations to Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Family Engagement Steven Moguel, who recently graduated from the Influence 100 program, run by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The program is designed to increase the racial and ethnic diversity of superintendents in Massachusetts, create more culturally responsive districts and leaders across the Commonwealth, and promote better outcomes for students. Districts select rising leaders to participate in a two-year fellowship to prepare for the superintendent role through monthly training and ongoing support in key aspects of the superintendency, with a particular focus on equity. The program began in 2019, in response to only 4% of Massachusetts school superintendents identifying as people of color, while 40% of the students served by Massachusetts public schools are people of color. Since the program's inception, the number of superintendents of color has steadily increased to more than 8% in 2024. Superintendent Anthony Soto, Chief of Strategy Erin Linville, and former Chief of Schools Dr. Tiffani Curtis also previously completed the Influence 100 program.
Why did you decide to participate in the Influence 100 program?
Superintendent Soto advocated for me to join the program to support me in my new role of Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Family Engagement. (Note: Mr. Moguel was formerly the principal of Morgan Elementary from 2018-2023.) Participating in the program helped me define this new role in the district. Additionally, I’m a lifelong learner and always want to continue to expand my knowledge in the service of children.
What are your biggest takeaways from your participation that you are applying to your job now?
The opportunity to network with other leaders and hear from other districts about the work they are doing has been the most significant takeaway. Many other people in the program are in similar roles to mine, and this type of role is in its infancy stages. So, we learned and have co-created together what this role can mean in a district. I have been able to bring new and different initiatives to Holyoke, after hearing from other districts about… About how this role supports other districts…. Brings different things to Holyoke… Brings different ideas or initiatives based on hearing from other districts.
I am very appreciative of and pleasantly surprised how much more HPS is progressive in the work that we are doing. Holyoke supports DEI work in many ways—we have a dedicated budget to this work. It’s a priority for Superintendent Soto. There is little resistance from the community. There aren’t large barriers to implementation.
How did HPS support your participation in the program?
Well, first, Superintendent Soto nominated me. He was supportive of me attending the trainings. He also attended all the quarterly district and other meetings where he was invited. He, along with other cabinet leaders, supported me during various projects. For example, the Executive Director of Finance Sean Mangano taught me a lot about the district’s budget.
Is there anything else you'd like to share about your experience in it?
Former HPS Superintendent Dr. Zrike said to me that working level 5 (referring to the Commonwealth’s designation for Morgan Elementary) “is not for the faint of heart.” And that through this work, it is important to invest in our own education and to also develop a network.
I also appreciated learning about and hearing from people at the state level. I have a broader perspective of how things work at the state and the complexity of the work. It was similar to my transition from a principal to the central office. You have a perspective of “Oh, there’s way more to this work than I realized.”
What are you excited about at work right now?
It’s graduation time! I have been so thrilled to see our students graduate at Dean and North, and I look forward to seeing our Opportunity Academy seniors graduate on June 14. I am also a mentor in the district’s mentoring program and will attend the moving up ceremony at Sullivan. This time of year is when all the hard work comes to fruition in a visible way.
In regards to my work, I’m excited about the work for next year. We are going to continue with the equity training modules and affinity groups for staff. I’ve begun to talk with the Communications Department about a shift in how we approach attendance—frame it in a way that’s not deficit-oriented when you miss school, but rather that school’s not the same when you’re not here.
Why did you join the HPS mentorship program?
Being with the kids and interrupting systemic inequities that are barriers to our students' success is my moral imperative and purpose. My biggest fear of not being a principal is not being connected to kids. That’s the real work—being with students. It keeps me grounded. I also appreciate that they can give me real insight about how our 30,000-foot ideas are actually being implemented on the ground. The kids. That keeps me grounded.
I am a mentor to three mentees—two 8th grade and one 7th grade students at Sullivan. My hope is to follow them and continue to have a long-term connection with them.
What's your most significant hobby?
Boxing. I love to watch boxing fights in person and on TV. My wife, Corrine, (who is a counselor at Holyoke STEM) and I will travel to watch boxing. My best birthday was when she took me to a fight in Las Vegas. When I can, I’ll hit the heavy bags. I started boxing after I had my second kidney transplant in my mid-20s and needed to get back in shape.
What other degrees/programs do you have?
I earned my bachelor of arts from SUNY Albany and master degree in childhood education from Sage Graduate School in New York. I also have my New York State certified School Building Leader Certificate through The College of St. Rose. While a principal at Morgan, I also completed the
Lynch Leadership Academy Fellowship at Boston College, which is designed to help sitting and aspiring principals to improve outcomes, increase opportunities, and disrupt inequity in underserved communities.