Guadalupe Center hires new senior director of early childhood education

IMMOKALEE, Fla. — The Guadalupe Center hired Jim Ragusa as senior director of early childhood education.

Ragusa moved to Southwest Florida in 1996 and started teaching in Collier County. He also taught in Lee and Miami-Dade counties and acted as an administrator at Everglades City School, Golden Gate High School and Palmetto Ridge High School - where he was named the Collier County School District 2020 Principal of the Year.

Dawn Montecalvo, the Guadalupe Center president, said she feels Ragusa’s experience will be useful in his new role.

“He has worked at schools with a high proportion of disadvantaged students, so he understands the unique challenges that Guadalupe Center is facing,” Montecalvo said.

According to a press release, 97% of students in Immokalee are declared economically needed.

Ragusa will work with a team of curriculum teachers and specialists to coordinate the Early Childhood Education Program, which has 525 students across four different campuses in Immokalee.

To learn more about the non-profit organization, visit their website.