Ezequiel Madrigal, a former student of Santa Fe, is the Secondary Behavior Interventionist at Heartland and Summit Middle Schools and Santa Fe. This is a new position at Edmond Public Schools that works with school staff to create a supportive environment for students with behavioral issues. 

“We want to have clear expectations established at every building,” said Madrigal. “We want to have clear procedures and corrective discipline in place.” 

Madrigal meets with principals, teachers, and families to guide them in particular situations. 

A day in Madrigal’s role isn’t always the same, as his focus depends on the needs of the schools, which vary in size, staff members, and student behavior between middle and high schools.

“My day might look like I’m observing a teacher in my first hour and then I’m supervising lunch, or I’m creating projects and presentations for teachers, or I might be designing a poster to put up in the hallway,” said Madrigal. “Anything that teachers and principals need for additional support.” 

A significant category of behavioral issues Madrigal has experienced this school year is defiance, as students are not complying with instructions. He provides disciplinary guidance by teaching a calmer and more constructive way to respond to the situation.

“The way you redirect students makes a big difference,” said Madrigal. “Just yelling tends to escalate things, whereas if you are calm and consistent, providing those fluid responses little by little can help bring the situation down.” 

His motivation for his role comes from creating a welcoming and safe environment for all students at school.

“With everything going on in the world,” said Madrigal. “In school, we have the unique opportunity to provide an output of light and goodness.” 

How Spanish influences his career

Madrigal is a first-generation Mexican American; his dad is from Michoacán and his mom is from Colima, Mexico. He was born in California and grew up in a Spanish-speaking environment, attending a dual-language school while also speaking Spanish at home. 

Developing his Spanish skills from middle school through high school, he later attended Oklahoma State University for further education to become a teacher, choosing Spanish as his main subject. 

“I felt called to be a teacher just to work with young people and kind of help lead young people to find their purpose,” said Madrigal.

He then began teaching different levels of Spanish at Cimarron Middle School for one year and at Edmond North High School for seven years, where he also served as the advisor to the Hispanic Student Association (HSA).

When working at Edmond North, Madrigal was nominated by an anonymous colleague for the “Life Changer of the Year Award,” in which he was described as: “a teacher who meets his students where they are, nurturing their unique strengths with patience and compassion. You would see him connect with each student at their level.” 

Madrigal aspires to be a school administrator and is currently studying for his Master’s degree in Educational Leadership at the University of Central Oklahoma. The University provides a cohort program that also includes a few other Santa Fe teachers.

“After a while, I felt like, well, I still love being in the classroom, I felt being called to kind of a more of a leadership position,” said Madrigal. 

Over the summer, Madrigal was presented with the opportunity by Dandy Peeler, a former North High School Principal and now Director of Secondary Schools, to fill the Secondary Behavior Interventionist position. Although he didn’t initially see himself pursuing this role, it was a great start on his pathway to becoming a principal.

“It wasn’t really on my radar, but it is really beneficial to me because I’m getting to learn from it a lot,” said Madrigal.

Stephanie Hanson, Santa Fe’s Freshman Academy principal, taught him when he was a student at Santa Fe, and spoke very highly of him.

“He has been coaching and helping our new teachers with classroom management ideas and just being a super positive presence in our building, helping where he can in several areas,” said Hanson.

Madrigal is recognized for his help around the schools, whether it’s supervision in the cafeteria, giving signs, tips or being a great resource. 

“We are blessed to have him in our vertical at Summit and Heartland because he knows how to ‘Protect the PACK,’” said Hanson.

Protect the PACK is a Santa Fe motto that stands for: practice respect, accept responsibility, commit to excellence, and keep it classy. 

His Mexican-American heritage 

Growing up in a Mexican household, Madrigal has always been reminded of giving the best of everything he does. 

“My family has been a testament of how hardworking you can be,” said Madrigal. “How being a hard worker, being kind, being consistent, and showing up can make all the difference a lot of times.”His favorite Mexican tradition is to reunite as a family for the holidays to eat and spend time together. He loves singing “Las Mañanitas” on people’s birthdays and eating Chilaquiles and Tamales.

His Mexican-American culture has allowed him to witness two different cultures and perspectives that have taught him to be grateful for all the opportunities he gets to experience, which he hopes to pass to all the people he gets to work with.

Life outside of work

Community is an important part of Madrigal’s life. When he is not at work, he loves to spend time with his friends, volunteer at his church, and participate in big community events such as 5Ks.

Every Wednesday night, Madrigal volunteers as a youth leader of the high school group at his church. The Well Church is in Edmond, a community he has been part of for 16 years and has served for the past 8 years, being a fundamental part of his life. 

“My church was a tremendously formative part of my teenage years and helped me develop my faith and be the person I am today,” said Madrigal. 

Madrigal loves to explore new places and connect with communities, learning about their people, places, and culture. He was part of the program “Partners in Education: Working Together to Enhance the Teaching of Latin America” from Towson University. A six-week-long program in Piura and Cusco, Peru, for educators and administrators from the United States to expand their knowledge of the Spanish language and Latin culture. On his profile on the program’s website, he talks about how life-changing his trip to Peru was. 

“The vast, diverse landscapes of Peru left a lasting impression on me,” said Madrigal on his profile. “That once-gray area in my mind when I thought of South America and Peru has now been illuminated, and the personal growth I experienced will continue to enrich my classroom and school communities for years to come.”

Something a lot of people do not know about Madrigal is that in 2022, he went through a major health transformation. He had a Bariatric surgery, resulting in him losing 250 lbs. Since then, Madrigal enjoys running 5ks, climbing 14ers in Colorado, and recently completed a 25-mile bike ride called Tour de Cowtown. 

“Overall, I am just grateful to have more energy, be off all medicines, and be able to do more of what I love for those I love,” said Madrigal.

Every day, Madrigal contributes to his community by doing what he loves, which is enlightening others with his knowledge and making sure to leave a positive impact on others’ lives.