News, Events & Stories
College Athletics Signing Day 2024
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TASIS Dorado's Athletics and the College Counseling Center are delighted to announce that two exceptional student-athletes from the class of 2024, Diego Méndez Colón and Valeria Luzio Chávez-Cabello, have signed their letters of intent to play intercollegiate sports. The ceremony, held on January 12, 2024, at the TASIS Dorado Wellness & Athletics Center, was attended by their families, administrators, coaches, and peers.
Diego Méndez Colón has been selected to join the University of Pennsylvania's Quakers Cross Country & Track team for the 2024-25 NCAA Division I season, where he plans to pursue a major in Mechanical Engineering. Similarly, Valeria Luzio Chávez-Cabello has been chosen to play for the Division III Tigers Women's Soccer team at Rochester Institute of Technology and will major in Industrial Engineering. Congratulations to both on their achievements!
Diego Méndez Colón '24, securing his status as the PRHSAA Top Runner for an extraordinary six consecutive years, showcases exceptional running abilities in the PRHSAA Cross Country league. Known for his unwavering dedication, discipline, and perseverance, Diego consistently rises to the occasion, earning top positions in various competitions and setting new standards. A valuable asset to his team and an inspiration to peers, Diego holds the title of reigning National Champion in the 1500m at the FAPUR National Championship. Having represented Puerto Rico in the Pan American Youth Games, he continues to make a mark on the national stage. In November 2023, Diego achieved a remarkable feat by breaking the 3-mile race record in just 15:35, translating to just over a 5-minute mile, adding to his list of impressive accomplishments that include still holding the record for the 1-mile race set in November 2019 at 4:32. Diego is a member of the National Honor Society, Strivers Chapter at TASIS Dorado.
Valeria Luzio, nominated as the Breakout Player of the Year in women's soccer for 2022 in Puerto Rico, has left an indelible mark on the sport. Playing a crucial role in the Puerto Rican national under-17 soccer team during the CONCACAF tournament in the Dominican Republic in April 2022, Valeria contributed to the team securing a commendable fourth place. Venturing into the international scene, she joined the MidCityLions, a prestigious travel team in the USA under the US Club Soccer league, achieving notable success, including being the runner-up at the 2022 Nationals and clinching the Southeast Regional Champions title in 2022 and 2023. Back home, Valeria continues to shine as a standout player in the Metropolitan Futbol Club, competing in the top women's league in Puerto Rico. Her prowess on the field is evident, having been the league's second-highest goal-scorer in 2023. Valeria is the TASIS Dorado Varsity team captain in the 2023-24 season and is a member of the National Honor Society, French Honor Society, and Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica
Diego and Valeria's academic and athletic achievements are a testament to the immense power of hard work and dedication in academics, driven by the unwavering support of their loved ones, coaches, mentors, and friends. The TASIS Dorado community expresses its ongoing support for Valeria and Diego as they continue to strive for excellence.
View photos of the event at https://tasisdorado.smugmug.com/2023-2024/College-...
#TDBearPride #TDAthletics #signingday
Appointment of New Head of School for July 2024
Board President's Message
December 14, 2023
Dear Members of our TASIS Dorado Community,
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Sylvia Rodríguez Vargas as the next Head of The TASIS School in Dorado, effective July 1, 2024. After a thorough search process that yielded over 58 applicants and included visits by three final candidates to our School and meetings with various constituencies, Sylvia shined through with her accomplished trajectory, gravitas, strong leadership record, fluent Spanish, Puerto Rican heritage, and global mindset. Surveys of a select group of faculty, staff, parents, students, and others who met her confirmed the Board's sentiment that Sylvia is uniquely positioned to take our School to the next level of excellence.
Dr. Sylvia Rodríguez Vargas has served independent day and boarding schools for over 25 years. She began her career as a Spanish teacher and World Language Department Chair and has since held roles as a division director, communications and marketing chair, academic dean, associate head, and head of school. Sylvia is currently the Associate Head of School at The Hill School, a highly regarded 9-12th coed boarding school in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. She also served as Interim Head of School at The Hill from December 2022 to June 2023. In her role as Associate Head, Dr. Rodríguez Vargas has provided oversight of academic programs and curriculum development; student support services, wellness, and community life; college counseling; athletics and co-curriculars; and the development of distinctive STEM and interdisciplinary learning programs. During her time as Interim Head, she worked closely with the CFO, Admissions, Advancement, and Strategic Communications Offices to advance the mission and strategic initiatives of the School. Dr. Rodríguez Vargas has also served as an instructor of Spanish, administrator on duty, student adviser, and chair of The Hill's reaccreditation with the Middle States Association.
Before The Hill School, Sylvia served as Associate Head of School and Director of Strategic Initiatives at Atlanta Girls' School in Georgia, where she spearheaded academic programs, including STEAM, and was the Advancement Team Leader in admissions, marketing, fund development, and constituent relations. Before she joined Atlanta Girls' School, she was Head of School at Brownell-Talbot School in Omaha, Nebraska.
In addition to her work in independent schools, Sylvia has served as an instructor and adjunct professor at The Ohio State University and the City University of New York, completed a seminar on school leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and was an NAIS E.E. Ford Fellow for Aspiring Heads. She was invited to serve on the National Assessment of EducationProgress Principals' Panel Standing Committee with the U.S. Department of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics. She has also served on advisory boards, was a mentor with the Hispanic Chamber of Columbus, Ohio, and has published numerous articles on School leadership.
Sylvia earned a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature, and Latin American and Caribbean Area Studies from Binghamton University, an M.Ed. in Educational Administration, Private School Leadership from Columbia University, and an M.A. in Latin American Literature and Literary Analysis and Ph.D. in Educational Administration from The Ohio State University.
On a personal note, Sylvia is moving to Dorado with her husband Brian Vargas, with whom they share an adult daughter, Kayla.
We will be working on scheduling a variety of events that will introduce Sylvia to the community. Additionally, as Deborah Monroe concludes a successful tenure at TASIS Dorado, we will be celebrating the outstanding work achieved under her leadership.
I want to take this opportunity to thank our Search Committee members and all parents, administrators, faculty, and students who participated in the various meet-and-greet events. Their time and hard work are invaluable contributions to the future of our School. The renowned firm of DRG, who acquired the former Wickenden Associates, was also instrumental in their support and guidance throughout the process.
In closing, we feel fortunate to have found Sylvia after such an extensive search. We believe her many achievements, leadership abilities, and commitment to leading our School according to the Board's and our community's cherished values make her the perfect match for TASIS Dorado at this moment in its history. It is with great enthusiasm that we look forward to working with her and welcoming her and her family into our community.
Warmly,
Federico Stubbe, Jr.
Board President
View Message from Sylvia Rodríguez Vargas, Ph.D.
