Prairie View A&M University prides itself on producing productive people and in 1997, I joined those ranks when I completed my bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis on Special Education. Seeking to immediately impact the world, I joined the staff at Dean Middle School in Cypress-Fairbanks I.S.D. as a Resource/In Class Support Teacher. That same year, I returned to Prairie View to begin working on my master’s degree in Education Administration. My time at Dean and course of study afforded many opportunities and I was blessed to serve as a Dyslexia Contact Teacher, Staff Development Liaison, CSR Grant Coordinator, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Teacher, as well as a member of the state AVID Certification Team.
Upon completing my master’s degree in 2001, I stepping into the role of Assistant Principal for Special Programs at Horne Elementary School, working with students and families to provide a range of services. Initially, I worked with Adaptive Behavior but as district programming shifted, I was an integral partner in developing the LIFE Skills and PPCD models on the campus.
While serving as an assistant principal, I enrolled in the University of Houston to pursue a terminal degree in Educational Leadership, focusing on reading and culturally relevant instruction. Upon completing my doctoral studies in 2011, I was blessed to be named the principal/head learner at Hemmenway Elementary School. In this capacity, I was dedicated to fostering a growth-oriented mindset and grit in both students and staff.
After six years in the principalship, I joined the district leadership team as the Director of Student Services/ Admissions. My current responsibilities include enrollment, transfers, attendance and dropout prevention/recovery for more than 115,000 students. I also serve as the foster care liaison and provide oversight for the homeless liaison and the Families in Transition (FIT) Program that supports students and families that have been identified as experiencing homeless based on the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act.