School Leaders

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  James Fernandez

  Principal, AF Brooklyn High School

  James is a proud Brooklyn native with a passion for empowering scholars in his community. He began his career at College Summit (now Peer Forward), where he supported high school juniors with college readiness, before working as a teacher’s assistant for students with severe disabilities, a role that inspired his path in education.

  Through Teach For America, James taught 7th-grade special education in North Carolina, later returning to Brooklyn to teach Math to upper elementary and middle school students in East New York. He went on to hold leadership roles, including Dean of Teaching Fellows and Dean of Culture, and in 2021 joined Brooklyn High School as Dean of Culture.

  At BHS, James and his team reduced suspensions and removals by over 50% during the school’s first year back after the pandemic, contributing to the school’s multi-year turnaround. He has since helped sustain strong student culture and outcomes, while also championing HBCU awareness, honoring student academic achievement, and helping coach AF NY’s Boys Basketball team to a City Championship.

  James’s commitment to student success and school culture continues to make a lasting impact, and we are excited for his leadership in driving BHS’s next chapter of excellence.

• 

  Sonia Castleberry

  Director, Empower at AF Brooklyn High School

  Sonia Castleberry serves as the Director of Empower at Achievement First Brooklyn High School, bringing over a decade of experience in Special Education. She began her career as a Teacher-in-Residence and has since held several leadership roles, including Learning Specialist, Grade Level Chair, and Special Services Leader. Sonia has deep expertise in inclusive instructional practices, trauma-informed approaches, and authentic compliance. She is also a strong advocate for teacher development and family partnership, ensuring that educators and caregivers are equipped to support every learner’s growth. Her work is grounded in the belief that all students—regardless of background or ability—deserve access to high-quality, identity-affirming education and meaningful postsecondary opportunities. Through her leadership, Sonia is committed to building equitable learning environments where students feel seen, supported, and empowered to thrive.

  AF Empower Program

  The Empower Program is currently housed at the AF Bushwick Elementary, AF Bushwick Middle, and AF Brooklyn High School. The purpose of the Empower Program is to ensure that the <1% of students with disabilities in our school communities who have more significant and complex needs have the support they need to achieve their most ambitious individual academic goals, and, ultimately, complete high school with a clear pathway for financial security, personal fulfillment, and a choice-filled life. This means that Empower students have access to all of the programming, services, and supports that are available to all students. The ways in which an individual student engages with, or participates in, supports, and services are determined on an individual basis. Empower students have been identified and selected for this program because they have complex and significant needs. To ensure that we are systematically and intentionally meeting their needs, Empower students receive an additional layer of specialized services that are supplemental to the core program. Empower is a STUDENT-CENTERED EXPERIENCE, with specialized instruction and increased collaboration and communication as a core part of the program model K-12.