With a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering from Howard University, Principal Nia Abdullah is a proud product of Chicago Public Schools. Born and raised on Chicago’s South Side by parents who were educators, she maintains a relentless passion for the academic success of urban youth. Nia is deeply committed to neighborhood schools as vehicles for community revitalization. Nia joined Chicago Public Schools in 2005, serving as an International Baccalaureate Math Teacher, Math Department Chair and Curriculum Coordinator at Hyde Park Academy. As a teacher-leader she spearheaded her school’s first IB diploma in five years and co-facilitated the implementation of common assessments and data to inform and improve teaching. At Bowen High School in South Chicago, Principal Abdullah and her teachers have consistently achieved significant gains in attendance and graduation. Nia attributes improvement to intrinsically motivating and inquiry-focused professional learning, as well as innovative STEM programs. She expects to receive her Doctorate of Education in Urban Educational Leadership in at the University of Illinois-Chicago in 2017.