Justin Monarez
Interim School Leader
Justin Monarez was born in El Paso, Texas on the U.S.-Mexico border. As a byproduct of growing up on the border, in a single-parent household, and attending low-income schools, his interests in education were fueled by the awareness and interrogation of his own experiences on the border. He joined KIPP Texas in the summer of 2019. He has made Southwest Houston his home and loves working with the students at KIPP Journey Collegiate.
Mr. Monarez started his teaching career with the 2012 Teach for America corps in Metro Atlanta as a high school science teacher. Since then, he has served in several roles spanning from a middle school Science/Math teacher in El Paso to a STEM instructional coach in central Los Angeles. As Assistant Principal at KIPP CONNECT High School, he focused on providing rigorous STEM and English instruction, fostering inclusive spaces and implementing restorative practices, and crafting strong student male leadership at the school. At KIPP Journey Collegiate, he hopes to continue ensuring staff members and students feel valued, heard and supported and school culture is built around student voice.
Justin advocates for BIPOC students and Latinx communities by finding opportunities to lift those voices. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas in El Paso and a Master’s from the University of California in Los Angeles. He is a proud El Pasoan, Chicano, Son, Tio, musician, Spanglish speaker and dog dad.