a visionary Educator
Experience and Dedication
It is in my nature to excel at everything I do. In my previous roles, I have served my campuses in multiple capacities, outside of my title. I am always willing to do whatever it takes to make a campus flourish. It is evident that, no matter where I go, I put my whole self into my work.
This is most evident in my previous role as Middle School Assistant Principal at my current campus. I came to my campus in late November 2022. After not having an Assistant Principal in the Middle School for months, I quickly to action and implemented systems and processes that restored order and brought a sense of calm to teachers. Within 4 short months, I was named Assistant Principal of the Year out of all of Dallas, Forth Worth, and Houston. Only a month later, I was informed that I would be taking over the campus as Principal the following year. I immediately took ownership of my campus and got to work. This year, my campus has seen such a huge transformation that is garnering attention across the tri-city area.
My educational career has been nothing short of exciting, challenging, and incredibly rewarding. Let me share with you my journey, my passion, and my dedication to tomorrow’s generation.
As I prepare to relocate to South Caroling for my family, I am excited to bring my dynamic approach and creative solutions to new opportunities. Together, we can make a difference!
I have always believed that it takes one caring adult to transform the life of a child, and I am excited to continue making a difference wherever I go.
In my previous positions of Behavior Interventionist, High School Assistant Principal, Middle School Assistant Principal, and now a PK4-8 Principal, I have always brought creativity innovation, and tremendous amounts of dedication to my role. I am proud of the work I have done in all areas, but I am most proud of the work I’ve done as Principal this year.
As I embark on this new chapter, I am looking forward to learning all about South Carolina and the education system. As I navigate this new environment, I am excited to bring all that I’ve learned in all my years, but especially in this last year as Principal.
Take a look at my adventure thus far!
A litte about My
Journey
As an educator, my top priority is to cultivate a positive school culture that sets the foundation for an academically rich learning environment. With expertise in Behavior, particularly in Restorative Practices and Positive Behavior Intervention Systems (PBIS), I focus on building relationships with students, teachers, staff, parents, and community members. I firmly believe in preparing the next generation for an ever-evolving world by emphasizing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and fostering leadership qualities in all students. I strive to shift students from external motivation to internal drive, nurturing their intrinsic motivation. For me, education transcends the boundaries of the classroom, aiming to empower students to become change-makers capable of adapting to the swift transformations of today's world while aligning with an organization's vision, mission, and goals.
What Leadership Means to Me
Leadership, at its core, is about putting the needs of others first. It involves selflessness, dedication, humility, and empathy. When leaders prioritize serving those they lead, they create a supportive and uplifting atmosphere that allows everyone to succeed and grow. My leadership style can be summarized in one word: Service.
Educators’ plates are full, and one of my most impactful leadership strategies was developing ways to simplify their tasks or even finding ways to take items off their plate altogether.
One area I was able to simplify their workload was within the MTSS process. This was a heavy burden on my teachers, especially due to their lack of experience with the MTSS process. Developing a clear and concise system of organizing their procedures alleviated much of their stress, and brought a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction to their work.
Instruction
My instructional philosophy revolves around the belief that children learn in various modes continuously. In addition, I believe that parents desire to be supportive in their children’s education, although they often lack the knowledge to do so. I am an advocate for including parents in their children’s educational journey by educating them along the way. This past year, I had 93 parents sign up to do a book study on “The Whole Brain Child” to learn about their child’s developmental stages and effective ways of disciplining and building character.
Inside the classroom, I believe in keeping it simple. As an instructional leader, I developed a specific three-phased plan for instruction on my campus that focused on Bambrick’s Get Better Faster Method which I aligned closely with Teach Like a Champion Strategies. I kept it simple by selecting just a few specific strategies for each teacher to master before moving to the next phase. This provided a clear instructional focus and allowed our many unseasoned teachers to master fundamental skills needed for the classroom before moving on to more complex skills. This allowed teachers to feel the satisfaction of progress while continuously progressing forward.
Culture
One of the key elements of transformation for my campus centered around the culture and climate of the school. With low morale of staff, low parent involvement, excessive student discipline, and high turnover rate of staff, I had my work cut out for me.
I put the majority of my focus into gaining the buy-in of students, staff, parents and community as I knew we would need that support. I created and implemented a customized “house” system that created a culture of camaraderie, healthy competition, belonging, and fun! Students were positively reinforced through our house points system that tracked student academics, attendance, leadership, behavior, and school spirit. These points could then be redeemed for prizes in our “Eagle’s Nest” or school store. This store was made possible by earning the support of community donations. The store drew the attention of Region 10 Education Support Center who looked to model other systems after ours.
Inevitably, we ran into a hiccup in implementing this new system. We had a customized plan, however, we lacked a customized platform to track earned and redeemed points for students. I immediately got to work creating our very own app called “House of Leaders” which simplified all the work for teachers. I worked alongside an app developer that I met through networking, and together, we were able to develop an app that performed all the tasks we needed to make this system successful. We were even able to add a direct chat feature for parents to be able to communicate directly with teachers and visa versa!
This system was so popular among students and teachers, that we decide to duplicate this system for teachers using a simpler “Silver Ticket” and “Gold Ticket” system. We were able to acquire massive amounts of donations from community members for this as well. It was a hit amongst teachers and a huge boost to morale as well.
It is my firm belief that creating a positive school culture and climate has a direct impact on student performance. Students cannot learn in a negative environment. It is the responsibility of school leadership to create and maintain a positive school culture.
As a leader, I intentionally work to radiate positivity but also use my light-hearted personality to draw people in and network with ease. My approach strikes a balance between being assertive and equitable, and I have a reputation for sharing time, resources, and hard work generously wherever I am needed. Functioning as a beacon of encouragement, I have a natural knack for lifting others up and bringing serenity to turbulent situations. My authentic compassion and interest in others shines brightly, infusing warmth and vitality wherever I go. I believe in influencing others through positivity rather than controlling or micromanaging, fostering a setting that is both inviting and motivating for everyone involved.
I believe that my passion for fostering connections and building relationships can truly unite others within an entire community. As a Principal, Assistant Principal, and Behavior Interventionist, I have always valued the power of collaboration and inclusivity. By leading with empathy, understanding, and a genuine desire to support others, I strive to create a sense of belonging and unity that transcends individual differences. Whether through organizing community events, facilitating open communication channels, or implementing restorative practices, I am committed to bringing people together towards a common goal of growth and collective well-being. Together, we can create a community where everyone feels heard, valued, and empowered to make a difference.
Positivity and Light
Community
As a dedicated leader, I firmly believe in the transformative power of community. By organizing free monthly community events, hosting engaging family activities, offering valuable parent education resources and classes, and actively participating in community initiatives myself, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible impact of bringing a broken community together.
Through consistent efforts to build connections, foster relationships, and create a sense of belonging, our school has become a beacon of positivity in the community. My inclusive approach has not only strengthened existing ties but has also attracted more students to enroll in our school, drawn by the welcoming and supportive environment that has been cultivated.
I am privileged to play a role in bridging gaps, sparking joy, and instilling hope within our community. Together, we are making a difference, one event, one family, and one relationship at a time. I am looking to bring the same to my next community.
