In the second grade, Griseliris Concepcion had a pivotal conversation with her father about the two career paths she was considering: a teacher or a nun.
“My father said, ‘You know, a nun can’t get married or have kids. Do you want to have kids?’ And I was like, ‘I think I do,’” she said.
That simple exchange would resurface more than a decade later as Griseliris, then a college student at SUNY New Paltz, struggled to choose a major. Her father reminded her that 7-year-old Griseliris desired a career in the classroom and that push led her to a major in education. Shortly after, the Inwood native obtained her master’s degree at City College of New York.
Her first job wasn’t in a traditional school setting, but in youth development at the Police Athletic League, where she spent 17 years climbing the ladder and eventually becoming a director and managing her own team. In 2021, she was ready for a new challenge and decided to look for a new opportunity.
Griseliris was already familiar with Children’s Aid. She collaborated with our workforce development team to connect young people with jobs, and would often see students wearing our signature blue Children’s Aid t-shirts. After recommendations from past colleagues, she decided to apply for a community school director position at P.S. 152, a Children’s Aid community school in Washington Heights.
The school serves students from birth to fifth grade. After spending nearly two decades working in Midtown and Union Square, Griseliris was thrilled to return to her roots in the community where she was raised.
“I grew up in this community, I know my people,” she said. “It was a very humbling experience to come back and service my community. Being able to sit with a parent and speak to them, knowing that this could’ve been your mother. You see yourself in these kids, in these family members. It’s very rewarding.”
A community school is only as strong as its partnerships, and Griseliris ensures that students and families at P.S. 152 have the dedicated supports and staff they need to thrive. New York-Presbyterian Hospital provides mental health support services for students, Children’s Aid advocate counselors work to improve student attendance, and parent coordinators help address the needs of parents and guardians. For Griseliris, her school isn’t just a place where students learn; It’s a hub for the larger Washington Heights Community.
“If a child walks into our building, they’re not just here to learn,” she said. “We’re trying to create a culture where the families feel comfortable asking for help if they fall into hardship and they need assistance. Even if we can’t provide it, we can connect them with someone who can. We are what a community should be.”
Griseliris can rattle off a long list of services that parents take advantage of at P.S. 152 – English courses, Zumba and yoga classes, workshops on entrepreneurship, stress management, nutrition, and more. She and her staff understand that when parents and guardians are engaged, the chances of a student succeeding in school and in life increase exponentially.
For Griseliris, the results of her work become most visible during graduation season. Watching students celebrate their accomplishments and look toward their future is one of the most rewarding parts of her role.
“Seeing their faces and how much they’ve grown, and that sprinkle of hope in their eyes, is incredibly rewarding,” she said. “These people sitting right here in front of me—you get to see your work. I saw the futures we helped shape.”
