Meet Our School Leadership
Dr. Rangel Fernández | Principal
Dr. Rangel Fernández is an experienced educational leader with two decades of service in public education. He is passionate about creating school environments where every student feels seen, valued, supported, and challenged to reach their full potential.
Prior to joining Kennedy Middle School, Dr. Fernández served as an assistant principal in the San Mateo-Foster City School District, where he focused on strengthening instruction, fostering positive school culture, and developing systems that support student success. His leadership experience spans both elementary and middle school settings, giving him a unique perspective on the academic and developmental transitions students experience as they move through their educational journey.
A bilingual Spanish-speaking educator, Dr. Fernández is deeply committed to supporting multilingual learners and building strong partnerships with families. He believes language, culture, and identity are important assets that enrich school communities and help students thrive. His experience working with diverse student populations aligns closely with Kennedy's multilingual community, including its Spanish and Mandarin immersion programs.
Known for his collaborative and relationship-centered leadership style, Dr. Fernández values listening, trust-building, and working alongside students, staff, and families to create inclusive, supportive, and academically rigorous learning environments.
As Principal of Kennedy Middle School, Dr. Fernández is committed to building on the school's strong foundation while fostering a culture where all students are empowered to learn, grow, and succeed.
Pedro Taveras | Assistant Principal
Mr. Pedro Taveras is a bilingual educator and school leader with more than 20 years of experience serving students, families, and school communities. Throughout his career, he has held leadership roles at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, focusing on student achievement, family engagement, instructional excellence, and building positive school cultures.
Prior to joining Kennedy Middle School, he supported schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District through STEM instructional leadership, student support initiatives, family engagement, and teacher collaboration. Before moving into school administration, he spent many years teaching Spanish to both native and non-native speakers, developing a deep appreciation for multilingualism and culturally responsive education.
Mr. Taveras is passionate about creating inclusive learning environments where students feel connected, supported, and empowered to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. He believes strong relationships with students, families, and staff are the foundation of a thriving school community and is committed to fostering meaningful school-home partnerships.
He holds a Master of Science in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, a Bilingual Administrator Certification in Educational Leadership, and both a Master of Science and Bachelor of Arts in Spanish.
As Assistant Principal at Kennedy Middle School, Mr. Taveras works closely with students, staff, and families to support student success, strengthen school culture, and advance Kennedy's commitment to multilingual education and academic excellence.
Ellen Spencer | Assistant Principal
Ellen Spencer will join Kennedy as a substitute administrator.
Mrs. Spencer served as a teacher for 12 years in elementary and middle schools before contributing to more comprehensive student achievement as a K-8 principal for 16 years. In that capacity, she guided private, public, urban, and rural schools, such as Beechwood School, a private school in Menlo Park, and public schools in the Ravenswood, La Honda-Pescadero, and Oakland school districts. She was the coordinator for the English language program for two years at the Berlin British School in Germany. She was also involved with mentoring and coaching at the San Mateo County Office of Education as a BTSA (Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment) Support Provider for teachers and in the coaching program (Act II) for aspiring principals. Mrs. Spencer is most proud of her term as principal at the James Flood Science and Technology Magnet School due to its staff, students, and the community effort in Ravenswood that led to the award as a California Distinguished School. Excellence was the expectation for everyone.
Since retiring, Mrs. Spencer has been supervising new teachers at Notre Dame de Namur University. She feels strongly about providing school support and has designed workshops and materials to help teachers, principals, and support staff develop grade-level teams to design instruction and programs that encourage, support, and expect excellence from each other and their students. She is the proud mother of two children and two wonderful grandchildren and is looking forward to the arrival of a new one in September.
Mrs. Spencer is also excited about her upcoming role with the Kennedy School family. She is looking forward to contributing her expertise and experience with Kennedy staff, students, and families
Cynthia Cardona | Community School Coordinator
Cynthia Cardona is our community school coordinator. Ms. Cardona previously taught 6th-grade at Kennedy. Ms. Cardona is passionate about family and community engagement. Please reach out to Ms. Cardona should you or your family need assistance.
Cynthia Cardona es nuestra coordinadora de escuelas comunitarias. La Sra. Cardona anteriormente enseñó sexto grado en Kennedy. A la Sra. Cardona le apasiona la participación familiar y comunitaria. Comuníquese con la Sra. Cardona si usted o su familia necesitan ayuda.
Cynthia C. CardonaCoordinadora de Escuela Comunitaria | Community School Coordinator
John F. Kennedy Middle School
(650) 482-2409 ext. 3484 | C: (650) 656-0501