Maria Zak is a 2024-2025 Teach Plus Massachusetts Policy Fellow and is a kindergarten Spanish lead teacher at A.J. Gomes Elementary School in New Bedford. As a dual-language educator, Maria guides students to see differences in people as opportunities to connect rather than obstacles to overcome. Maria fosters cultural connections between home and school, inviting students and families to share aspects of their culture. She is a mentor to high school students who are part of the Future Educators program. Maria earned certificates in Interpreting for Special Education and Translating School Documents from UMass, Amherst Translation Center. Maria began her teaching career in Santiago, Dominican Republic, as an elementary school teacher, and a teacher for the deaf. Maria earned a BA in liberal arts with a concentration in English and sociology from UMass Dartmouth, a bilingual certification from Bridgewater State University, and an MEd in early childhood education from Lesley University.
