“At UrbanPromise, we strive to cultivate a culture within the school that is centered on God and love for our students, family, and community,” Dionne Xavier wrote in an introductory message to parents of the school, which educates children from pre-K to 6th grade. “My educational philosophy is that all students are capable of success, and it is our job as educators to provide the resources that enable our students to meet that success.”
Prior to her appointment, Xavier served as the organization’s leadership associate from last December to this June. Previously, from 2015 to 2020, she was the principal of A Friend of the Family/The Brandywine Community School, a small school in the Brandywine School District that services students who are struggling within traditional school settings.
“Attending Lincoln University was one of the best decisions of my life,” says Xavier, who also minored in human services at Lincoln. “I grew up a lot within those four years I spent on campus, and appreciate all that staff poured into me.”
“Being in the gospel choir helped ground me in my faith and gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. It's through the experiences on campus that I learned how to find my voice, and how to maneuver in a world that is dominated by people that look nothing like me. No matter the adversity, there is a road to success if you have faith, confidence, patience, and be true to yourself.”
Now living in Newark Delaware, with her husband and three daughters, Xavier earned a M.Ed. degree in school leadership in 2014 from Wilmington University. She also serves in multiple leadership roles at her church, Grace Chapel Outreach Ministries in Bear, Delaware.
