Take Five with Adrian Gonzalez, School Clerk at Holden Elementary

Take Five is a series that highlights some of the many members of the CPS community who are going above and beyond for our schools. If you know someone who is making a difference, nominate them to be featured here.

This week, we are thrilled to feature Mr. Adrian Gonzalez, a school clerk at Holden Elementary in Bridgeport. Mr. Gonzalez has held various roles at Holden, including SECA, Dean of Students, and Culture and Climate Coordinator. Now, in his role as the school's clerk, he supports families and staff with administrative duties in the main office. 

Mr. Gonzalez always envisioned a career where he could serve others, and he has found a school to be the ideal setting. He briefly left the district to pursue a career in social work, but eventually returned to education. Now, he considers the Holden school community his own and has chosen to send his own daughter there, confident she will receive the best care and education possible.

“Mr. Gonzalez is absolutely exceptional and a model for customer service in the District,” says Ms. Patsiopoulos, the principal at Holden. “He goes above and beyond in every aspect of his work and is a team player. He is also the epitome of professionalism, care, and commitment to the school community.”

Learn more about Mr. Gonzalez and his work below!

What have been some of your goals this school year? 

One of my biggest goals is to make sure students know they are the most important part of our day. I could be buried under payroll paperwork, but when a student comes to me with something as small as a papercut on their finger, I drop everything to support them. We get lost so quickly in the day-to-day, so being present and able to support students is my favorite part of my work. 

How do you foster a welcoming environment at Holden?

I try to personalize my connection with students and staff. It’s important to me to remember names and ensure I'm available to everyone. When it comes to parents, I like sharing my experience as a parent who has a student at Holden. I want them to know that this is a very nurturing, well-rounded environment, and I want them to always feel a sense of peace when they drop their students off here.

How has Holden changed or stayed the same during your time there?

Over the years, we've seen a significant influx of families and staff members from diverse cultures and languages. My favorite part about this is that we now see so many cultural celebrations at our school. I myself am a part of the school’s Hispanic Heritage Month planning committee. We just wrapped up our Chinese New Year and Black History Month celebrations, and we’re looking forward to our upcoming Cultural Night. 

What message do you have for your school community for the rest of the school year? 

My message to my school community is to continue focusing on unity. I’ve seen how our parents and staff step up for each other and our students, and believe we should continue to build on this. To be any part of the Holden community is truly an honor and a privilege.

What’s something you like to do outside of school? 

After being in a building for so many hours a day, I take any chance to be outdoors! My daughter, girlfriend, and I enjoy hiking and camping. Aside from that, you can find me helping my daughter with schoolwork and doing whatever I can to support my family.