By Susan Fong

“Family first” was the motto of Alfonso R. Valtierra Jr., known to generations of Galileo Scholastic Academy of Math and Science students and teachers as “Mr. V.” The 66-year-old principal and educator would refer to them affectionately as the “Galileo family.” He died on Dec. 12.

Teacher Lucy Amore remembered him greeting the children in their mother tongues every morning. “He always knew their names and would ask them about their families and extended families,” she said.

Mr. Valtierra was born Sept. 28, 1943, and was the eldest son of Mary and Alfonso P. Valtierra Sr. He is survived by his mother and three siblings.

He grew up near Taylor Street, not far from where Galileo Scholastic Academy is today.

“As a third grader, Al had had difficulty reading,” said his sister Maria Granado. “But one teacher had spent extra time helping him to read better, which changed his life as he would change the lives of his future students.”

Impressed by the Mennonite faith, his father converted the family when Alfonso Valtierra Jr. was young. He attended Mennonite schools—Bethany Christian High School and Goshen College, in Goshen, IN—and completed his BA in 1966. Before returning to Chicago, he also taught briefly at Goshen.

During the Vietnam War, Mr. Valtierra had conscientious objector status and worked as a mental health attendant. Once back in Chicago, after serving two short teaching and one administrative stints, Mr. Valtierra was asked to take a job in the central offices of Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Working in the Multilingual Division, he visited many CPS sites, becoming familiar with school programs throughout the city. During this period he completed his master’s degree in education.

He became very active in organizations addressing the need for improved bilingual education to serve a growing Spanish-speaking population. A leader and member in many civic, community and professional organizations, he continued his active participation in the Mennonite Church as a council member.

“What I think made him different was that his spirituality was very practical,” said teacher Emma Garay.

With a solid family foundation and deep spiritual convictions, he lived his beliefs to support education for others. His ability to carry out his vision of what a school should be and to bring out the best in staff and students brought him recognition with awards from the City, the Fulbright Foundation, Vice President Al Gore, and others.

After four years at Gary Elementary as principal, Mr. Valtierra was offered the principal’s job at Galileo in 1991. “We started first with only a desk and one telephone and had two months to get the staff hired and the rooms ready,” explained Acting Principal Blanca Miarka.

With his experience from the central offices and a loyal staff of former and new colleagues, Mr. Valtierra marshaled the resources to build the school from modest beginnings to one with a high ranking and more than 500 students. “Al was always ready to help students as he could, whether it was giving a pencil or offering lunch in his office for better attendance or improved grades,” said Miarka.

Modest and cultured, Mr. Valtierra was known for working selflessly for others. His family, students, and teachers remember that, despite his busy schedule, there was always time for others. Mr. Valtierra recently had left Galileo for a year due to illness. Upon his return, his staff organized to escort him in every day.

Despite continuing health problems, Mr. Valtierra asked staff to bring him in earlier so he could continue his morning tradition of greeting students at the top of the stairs.