MATTHEW BEATA
Director
Mr. Beata has been the Director of Uruguayan American School since 2015. Before coming to UAS, Mr. Beata was the Middle School Principal at Nido de Aguilas in Santiago, Chile, a position he held for ten years. He earned his B.A. summa cum laude in English Language and Literature from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, an M.A. in English Language and Literature from the University of Michigan, and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Lehigh University.
Mr. Beata began his career in education as a Middle School Language Arts teacher at John Wilson Intermediate School 211 in Brooklyn, New York. In 1997, Mr. Beata joined Nido where he taught Middle School Language Arts, High School English, and directed the summer school before becoming Middle School Principal.
DOUGLAS MURPHY
Secondary Principal
Before becoming the middle and high school principal at Cayman International School, Doug was a middle school principal in California. He holds an EdD in Educational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University; a Masters in Sport Management from the University of San Francisco; a Masters in Secondary Education from the University of Alabama; and a BA in English from the California State University, Long Beach.
He has worked in Peru, the Cayman Islands, and California. His educational philosophy is embedded in a quote from Shepherd Leadership by Blaine McCormick and David Davenport. They state, “…shepherd leaders must learn to conceptualize a great deal of their activity to make sure people’s needs are met. Engaging not just people’s time but also their minds and hearts…” Successful leaders exhibit high emotional intelligence, prioritizing building strong relationships. Fundamental to successful education and leadership are service, compassion, and relationships. These key components begin with integrity and trust.
M. VICTORIA PLACERES
Elementary Principal
In 2016, Ms. Placeres was appointed Principal of Early Childhood and Elementary School. Before taking her current position, Ms. Placeres worked as the Elementary School Coordinator, Curriculum Coordinator, Advanced Placement/Testing Coordinator, ELL Secondary Coordinator, and ELL Secondary Teacher.
Before working at UAS, Ms. Placeres worked at four private bilingual elementary schools in Montevideo and taught Grades 1- 6. Ms. Placeres holds a B.A. in Educational Sciences from Universidad de la República (UDELAR), Teacher TESOL certification from Trinity College, London, and a K-12 Leadership Certificate from Kaplan University. She holds a Masters of Education Leadership degree from Lehigh University.
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ANEP-CEIP - Colegio Habilitado Nº 163
ANEP-CODICEN - Exp. Nº 907.778