Dr. Aquino was born in the Dominican Republic, where he pursued a bachelor’s degree in psychology at the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo. While attending college, he also volunteered to teach literacy to underprivileged children and adults, to work with handicapped children and to work with people with leprosy. These experiences gave him the opportunity to develop sensitivity to social issues such as poverty, hunger, and homelessness.

Upon completing his degree, Dr. Aquino was recruited by the New York City Board of Education as a bilingual teacher. His contributions to the teaching profession were acknowledged in 1990 when he was selected as New York State Bilingual Teacher of the Year. Teaching in those public schools allowed Dr. Aquino to confirm that it was in the field of education that he found his greatest satisfaction. As a result, Dr. Aquino decided to further his professional training by pursuing his graduate study in education. He received both his Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Fordham University. His master’s degree is in bilingual education and his doctoral degree is in curriculum and teaching with a specialty in language, learning, and literacy.

Dr. Aquino has presented in various regional, national, and international conferences. In addition, he was featured in the videotape series, “Approaching the Vision of the National Council of Teacher of Mathematics Standards: A Videotape Series for Teacher Development.” He is also the co-author of the book, “Breakthrough Principals: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building Stronger Schools.” The book debunks the myth of the “superhero” principal by detailing the common actions and practices of leaders at the nation’s fastest-gaining public schools.