Janet Heinze, the former director general of the American School of Guadalajara, has received formal recognition from the U.S. State Department for her lifetime achievements in international education.
Heinze, who retired this month after 12 years at the helm of the school, received accolades for her work as a leader in education throughout the region. The award was presented on June 14 by Michelle Roulbet of the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara at a special dinner held at La Fresneda.
The American School achieved many advances during Heinze’s spell in charge.
{access !public}She was the founder of the Educational Scholarship Foundation to assist deserving students with financial aid to attend the American School, or to continue their studies if their family suffered financial hardship. Heinze created a special needs admission initiative for students with physical and learning disabilities, the first program of its kind in the state, and she established a service learning program and a culture of community service with age-appropriate activities for middle and high school students, thus helping to create leaders of tomorrow.On behalf of the school’s board of directors, she purchased 6,000 square meters of land adjacent to the campus to develop green space and provide a natural setting for student activities in a land-locked urban environment.
Heinze also received the 2013 Merito Ecologico Prize on behalf of the American School for providing high quality environmental education in Jalisco.
In addition, Heinze served as president of the Association of American Schools of Mexico (ASOMEX) from 2007 to 2010, during which time she led the American school directors in Monterrey, Puebla and Mexico City among others, streamlining activities and encouraging mutual support.{access !public}