Rosy Arcano-Calvo highlights 40 years of education leadership

Rosy Arcano-Calvo, owner and executive director of My Little Red Schoolhouse in Orlando, is being featured for a career that spans more than four decades in education. Her path runs from Miami-Dade public schools leadership to early childhood entrepreneurship, with a focus on family support, school improvement and faith-driven service.

Why it matters: - Rosy Arcano-Calvo has spent more than 40 years shaping children’s education and family support across public schools and private early learning. - Her career spans classroom teaching, district leadership and entrepreneurship, showing how one educator can influence both K-12 systems and early childhood development. - My Little Red Schoolhouse serves children from infancy through elementary age, placing academic readiness and nurturing care under one model.

What happened: - Influential Women featured Rosy Arcano-Calvo, owner and executive director of My Little Red Schoolhouse in Orlando, Florida. - The profile highlights her work in early childhood education, K-12 administration and organizational leadership. - Arcano-Calvo built her career over more than 35 years with Miami-Dade County Public Schools before moving into private education. - She rose from classroom teacher to principal and district leader.

The details: - As principal of Miami Lakes K-8 Center, Arcano-Calvo led the school’s conversion from an elementary campus to a K-8 school. - She oversaw major facility renovations and curriculum development at the school. - Miami Lakes K-8 Center kept its A+ state designation for 15 consecutive years under her leadership. - Miami-Dade County Public Schools named her District Principal of the Year in 2009. - She also served as lead principal for the Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior Feeder Pattern. - Her district work included educational leadership, budgeting, labor relations and school improvement. - Arcano-Calvo holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Miami and a specialist degree in educational leadership from Florida International University. - Her credentials include State of Florida Certified Principal, National Child Care Director, National Childcare Consultant and certified educator. - She is a member of Child Care University. - She speaks English, French and Spanish, which broadens her ability to work with diverse families. - Her specialties include early childhood education leadership, K-12 school administration, educational leadership and organizational development. - Her expertise also covers teacher development, curriculum innovation and family engagement. - More information is available through her Influential Women profile. - The school’s website provides additional information about My Little Red Schoolhouse.

Between the lines: - Arcano-Calvo frames her success as rooted in passion, faith and service rather than credentials alone. - She says administrators encouraged her to step into leadership, and that support helped push her into administration early in her career. - Her comments to young women entering education reflect a realistic view of the field: the work is meaningful, but compensation can lag behind the cost of earning required credentials. - She sees entrepreneurship in education as a path to greater financial opportunity for leaders willing to open and operate a school or program. - Her profile ties professional leadership to faith, family unity and empathy, suggesting those values guide how she runs her school and mentors others.

What's next: - Arcano-Calvo plans to keep building opportunities for children through My Little Red Schoolhouse. - She also aims to mentor childcare professionals and inspire more educators through her leadership model. - Her profile points to continued work expanding educational excellence for families in her community.

The bottom line: - Rosy Arcano-Calvo has turned decades of public-school leadership into a private-school mission centered on children, families and faith. Her career shows how education experience and entrepreneurship can combine to broaden impact.