Livorno Elementary and Middle School welcomes new assistant principal

CAMP DARBY, Italy – Livorno Elementary and Middle School recently welcomed their new assistant principal, Edwin Caballero, an Air Force veteran with over 23 years of experience in education.

Caballero was born in Honduras and raised in the United States by a single mother, who he calls the “hero of my life.” Early on, schoolteachers played an important role in his development. “I had a Social Studies teacher named Mrs. Castro who made history come alive,” he said. “But I think more than anything she ever taught us, she made me feel very cared for and that really struck home with me.”

Another teacher made special arrangements so Caballero could leave school 30 minutes early to care for his younger brother while his mother was at work. “She taught me what it means to be there when someone needs you,” he said.

These and other formative experiences greatly impacted the trajectory of Caballero’s life, he said. After serving 20 years in the Air Force, he became a teacher and then an administrator. He served at schools in Texas, Puerto Rico, and Spain, and has worked in both socioeconomically poor and privileged areas. He said each presented unique challenges and benefits and that the experience helped him become a better teacher by focusing on each child’s individual needs. “I knew what it meant to me with Mrs. Castro, so I tried to be that teacher for other kids,” he said.

Joining the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) school system was especially impactful for Caballero. “I really took to heart what it meant to be a military-connected child because my oldest daughter was in DoDEA schools for a few years,” he said. “I was deployed and one of the things I didn’t have to worry about was her getting a good education.”

Caballero is excited to join the LEMS team. “These teachers are phenomenal,” he said. “Every one of them, whether they teach that particular student or not, knows every student. I see the work and the diligence they put into not only their craft, but the social wellbeing of our students.”

Caballero hopes to continue supporting the good work being done at LEMS to provide the best academic and social education possible. He also hopes to strengthen community ties and asks that the wider Camp Darby community involve the school in events and find opportunities to volunteer or substitute teach. Most importantly, he said, his overarching goal is for each student to “look back on this time and remember LEMS as a special place for them.”