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Meet Our Co-Principals

Ms. Hannah Banks

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Joaquin Miller Community,

As we embark on an exciting new academic year, it is with great joy and enthusiasm that I welcome you to our beloved school. As the continuing principal of Joaquin Miller - or JM as we so lovingly refer to it - I am committed to creating an inclusive and nurturing environment where every student is honored, thriving, and working towards their futures. Our school is not just a place of learning; it is a vibrant community that celebrates diversity and values the unique strengths and talents of each and every student.

My own personal values align with those that are cultivated here at JM. I am a “forever learner” who knows that the greatest strength lies within community and the sense of belonging. I am a former UCSC Banana Slug and have a Masters from CSU: Los Angeles in Educational Foundations in Urban Education. I am also a Diversity in Leadership Fellow out of LMU, and continue to enrich myself with the Oakland community and my own personal understanding of my identity as a black educator.

I am truly honored to lead such an exceptional school community and look forward to an incredible year of learning, growth, and memorable experiences. Together, let us embrace inclusivity, nurture expert learners, and foster a strong sense of community that will guide and inspire us all.

In community,

Hannah Banks
Co-Principal

Ms. Swaicha Chanduri

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Swaicha Chanduri is honored to join the Joaquin Miller community as Co-Principal! She has been a JM parent since 2015 and is thrilled to join in this new capacity. Swaicha has always had a love for teaching and learning and building deep relationships in communities to make change from within. She grew up in Southern California but moved up to the Bay Area almost 20 years ago to begin her teaching career and goal of serving students by providing them an excellent and equitable education.

Swaicha graduated with honors from UC Irvine with a degree in Political Science and English Literature as well as a multiple subject teaching credential. After teaching middle school English and math in South San Francisco for several years, she continued her own education by attending and graduating from the Harvard Graduate School of Education where she earned a Masters Degree in Education Policy and Instructional Leadership. She then joined the San Francisco Unified School district where she has served as an intervention teacher, instructional coach, a leader in the new teacher support program and most recently as a school administrator at a PK-8 school within the district. In each of her roles, Swaicha has always kept students and equity at the forefront and has worked hard to create systems and structures that center the student experience and that support students, families and staff to feel cared for and valued.

Swaicha is the daughter of immigrants who came to this country with the hope of giving their children more possibilities. From a young age, her parents instilled in her the belief that education provides opportunities and that a quality education is a right and not a privilege. These beliefs certainly influenced her career path but more importantly, shaped how she works as an educator. Swaicha believes that educators are responsible for shaping minds, giving opportunities and supporting dreams and also believes that the purpose of schools is to provide possibility, freedom and choice to each and every student. She is grateful for the opportunity to continue her 15 year career as an educator fighting for equity and social justice here in Oakland Unified and to continue the incredible work already happening at Joaquin Miller Elementary School.

Swaicha lives in Oakland with her husband and two kids (who are also JM students!) and is very excited about this move, not only because she no longer has to battle Bay Bridge traffic every morning, but mostly because she will get to serve students in her own community! As a mother and an educator, she knows that watching kids grow up, being a part of that in any small way, is truly a gift they give and not one she ever takes for granted. Swaicha is excited to work with the talented team of educators and families at Joaquin Miller and will work hard to ensure that JM continues to be a joyful and inclusive place where all children can learn, grow and become their best selves.