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Who's News April 2010
Argyle ISD Mandi Pels is the new assistant principal of Hilltop Elementary School. A four-year member of the Argyle ISD staff, she holds a bachelor's degree in exercise physiology from Texas Woman's University, and she is completing a master's degree in school administration from Lamar University. Before arriving in Argyle, Pels was a teacher, coach and youth leader in Austin. Arlington ISD Coach Eddy Peach, a 45-year veteran of Arlington ISD, has announced his upcoming retirement. Officially Brookeland ISD Kevin McCugh, former assistant superintendent, has been promoted to superintendent. Canutillo ISD (El Paso) Damon Murphy is the district's new superintendent. He comes to this new position from El Paso ISD, where he served as associate superintendent for priority and secondary schools. An educator for 19 years, he initially taught middle school and high school English, and then he served as an assistant principal and principal at the secondary level. During the past four years, he was responsible for overseeing more than a dozen El Paso elementary schools. Murphy earned his bachelor's degree in English from Texas Tech University and his master's degree in school administration from The University of Texas at San Antonio. He earned a doctorate in school leadership from the University of Houston. Center Point ISD Kim Bishop is the new business director for the district. A certified public accountant, she began her career as a senior corporate accountant for Raytheon. She moved on to be a math teacher and department head in Quinlan ISD from 2001 to 2007. Bishop was named the district's Teacher of the Year in 2006. She then spent a year as a curriculum consultant. Bishop holds an accounting degree from Texas A&M University at Commerce. Comal ISD Dani Baylor is leaving her position of principal at Church Hill Middle School to become the district's director of secondary education. She began her career as a middle school teacher, joining Comal ISD in 2005 as the principal of the former Canyon Intermediate School. Jan Bettersworth, a science instructional specialist for the district since 2008, is moving on to serve as the academic dean at Smithson Valley High School. Scott Hammond is taking the reins at Church Hill Middle School as its principal. He makes the move from his role as principal at Mountain Valley Middle School. The district has its first director of staff development and accountability. She is Tammy Lind, returning to the district from her most recent job as principal of Spring Branch Middle School in Spring Branch ISD. She initially came to Comal ISD in 1996 as a fifth grade teacher at the former Aaron Seay Intermediate School, subsequently serving as an assistant principal and principal of that school before making the transition to Spring Branch ISD. Jon Lindholm is transitioning from assistant principal of Canyon Lake High School to academic dean of the school. He has been with the district since 2007. Betsy Nash, principal of Freiheit Elementary School, is moving on to serve as principal of Clear Spring Elementary. Allen Pooley, who has been serving as an assistant principal of Canyon Lake High, is joining Clear Spring Elementary School as the new assistant principal. Alan Reeves, assistant principal of Canyon Lake High, is taking the assistant principal job at Rahe Bulverde Elementary School. Another district administrator, Sandra Shelton, takes on new duties as executive director of technology; she most recently served as director of accountability and instructional services. She began her career in Bay City ISD as an elementary and special education teacher. Chris Smith will step into the role of principal of Spring Branch Middle School. He began his career as a teacher with New Braunfels ISD in 1996; he most recently was the assistant principal of Comal ISD's Smithson Valley High School. Conroe ISD The Woodlands High School Ninth Grade Campus has a new principal. He is Chris Povich, who will take the helm upon the retirement of Marguerite Weatherall. Until accepting his new position, he was associate principal of The Woodlands High School for five years. An educator for 16 years, he came to that school in 1997 as a math teacher, subsequently serving as math department chair, assistant principal and summer school principal. Before arriving in Texas, Povich was a teacher assistant at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; his first assignments in Texas were in Houston ISD and Lamar CISD. He earned a bachelor of science degree in math from The University of Texas and a master of education degree in math education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His doctorate in administration and supervision is from the University of Houston. Marguerite Weatherall brings her 30-year career as an educator to a close with her retirement. She
Secondary Music Director Larry Matysiak was recognized by the University of Houston's Moores School Leslie Thomas will be principal of Rennell Elementary School, which will open in August for the
Jill Dworsky is Del Valle Middle School’s new principal. She began her career as a middle school English/language arts teacher, reading teacher and coach. She served 15 years in those capacities in Friendswood, Yorktown, Ferris and Victoria ISDs. An administrator for 13 years, Dworsky spent five years as a high school assistant principal in Ingram and Pine Tree ISDs, and eight years in her most recent position as a middle school principal in Ingram ISD. Dworsky's bachelor of science degree is from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University), and her master's degree in curriculum and instruction is from the University of Houston at Victoria. She also earned her mid-management administrator and superintendent certifications there. Fort Bend ISD Thomas Heinly has assumed the principal's role at Quail Valley Middle School. A native of Florida, he spent 12 years in the Broward County school system. He began as a teacher, spending nine years at Sandpiper Elementary School, before moving on to an administrative career as an assistant principal. He relocated to Texas in 2006, accepting the position of assistant principal of Drabek Elementary. Within a year, he was named principal of Oyster Creek Elementary, where he has spent the past three years. Heinly earned a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in educational leadership from Florida Atlantic University. Gainesville ISD Lance Gary has been promoted to the position of athletic director and head coach at Gainesville High School. He moves into his new roles from serving as defensive coordinator at that school, a job he has held for the past two years. Georgetown ISD After 15 years with Bandera ISD, Brad Domitrovich has joined Georgetown ISD as its director of
The district has a new head football coach. He is Kenny Davidson, formerly defensive coordinator. He began his public school career in 1984 as a defensive line coach for Georgetown ISD, moving to Amarillo's Highland Park ISD for two years as head football coach before serving a year as defensive coordinator for Borger ISD. He then served as head football coach and athletic director at Fort Worth Christian School from 1990 to 2004. That year, he accepted the position of assistant coach for Graham ISD, where he served until taking on his new position. Davidson earned a bachelor of science degree from Abilene Christian University. He has done work on his master's degree in educational leadership at Texas Woman's University. Henderson ISD The Henderson ISD trustees have chosen Kerrie Forrester to serve as communications officer and executive director of the Henderson ISD Education Foundation. She graduated from Henderson High School and earned a bachelor's degree from Stephen F. Austin State University. Forrester joined Henderson ISD as a teacher in 1991. She continued there as a teacher and reading specialist until 1999, when she left the district to serve as the children’s minister and preschool director at Henderson First Baptist Church. She worked at the church until accepting her new role with the district. Houston ISD Sam Sarabia is the new chief officer for elementary schools. He most recently served as Houston ISD's
Ingram ISD Ingram Middle School students have a new principal, Therese Schwarz, who has been a member of the
Melinda McGinnis is now the district's executive director of finance. In addition to being a teacher for three years, she previously was the business manager for Union Grove ISD. Midland ISD Sylvester Perez, superintendent of Midland ISD since 2006 and an educator with 38 years of experience, Perez attended school in Harlandale ISD and then went on to St. Phillip's College in San Antonio. He graduated from New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, N.M. He then coached for a year in Lubbock ISD, before being hired as head baseball coach at Taos High School in New Mexico. He returned to San Antonio in 1974, serving as a coach and then an administrator in 1985. He led MacArthur, Madison and Judson high schools to district championships. He was an assistant principal at Nimitz Middle School in North East ISD and MacArthur High School in Harlandale ISD, before taking on the head coach position in Harlandale ISD in 1988. He then served as principal at Midland ISD's McCollum High School before becoming the district's superintendent. Palestine ISD Lance Angel is the new athletic director and head football coach. A graduate of Sam Houston State University, he began his 17-year career in Wink ISD, where he taught economics, government and world geography and coached the district's current events team for UIL competition. In Elgin and Aledo ISDs, Angel served as head freshman and junior varsity boys' basketball coach, varsity secondary and running backs' coach, head boys' and girls' golf coach, head track coach and offensive coordinator. During his time as offensive coordinator with Aledo ISD, the district took home a state championship in 1998. Angel's first assignment as head coach and athletic director was with Cooper ISD, where he spent four years. His most recent position was with Canton ISD, where he served for four years before taking his new job in Palestine ISD. Pasadena ISD A new athletic director/head football coach has been named for Dobie High School. He is Jim Phillips, who most recently held the same position at Greenville High School in Greenville ISD. A coach for 32 years, he had an 18-year tenure with Waller ISD and had worked for two years with Emory Bellard as offensive line coach at Spring ISD's Westfield High School. He was offensive line coach in Clear Creek ISD. In addition to his time with Texas schools, Phillips spent four years as head football coach at Oklahoma Panhandle State University and three years as offensive line coach and head track coach at Southwestern Oklahoma University. Pearland ISD Ben Pardo, who served as Pearland High School's head baseball coach from 2003 to the time of accepting his new position, has been named the district's director of athletics. A native of Havana, Cuba, he immigrated with his family to the United States as an infant. Early in his career, he came to Pearland ISD in 2002 from Dickinson ISD, where he spent 10 years as head baseball coach and an English teacher. In addition to his coaching duties at Pearland High, he has taught English and health at the school. Pardo earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Houston. Richardson ISD Kay Waggoner is the district's new superintendent. An educator with 28 years of experience, 21 of those Socorro ISD (El Paso) Two principals have been named to lead new schools that open in August. Troy Byrne will have the top job at the El Dorado Ninth Grade Academy. With 19 years in education, six
Angelica Ramsey will be at the helm of Eastlake High School. She began her career as a
Juan I. Martinez comes to the district as chief human resources officer from El Paso's Clint ISD, where, Waller ISD Danny Twardowski is the new superintendent. He served as Waller High School's principal from 1997 to 2002. That year, he became the district's assistant superintendent for administration. Before arriving in Waller ISD, he spent 20 years with Spring ISD, first as a coach and teacher of physical education, business law and personal business management and then as an assistant principal at Westfield High School. Twardowski then was named the district's assistant athletics director, a position he held for two years until he was appointed principal of Wells Middle School, where he remained until his move to Waller ISD in 1997. Twardowski has an associate's degree in business administration from Blinn College, a bachelor's degree in physical education from Texas Christian University and a master's degree in education administration from Sam Houston State University. |
the "winningest 5A coach in Texas high school football," he had only four losing seasons in his 40 years of coaching. He began his coaching career in Arlington in 1965 at Carter Junior High, moving to Arlington High School in December of that year as head baseball and junior varsity football coach. He opened Lamar High School in 1970 as head football coach, a position he held for the next 39 years. Peach has a bachelor's and a master's degree from Oklahoma University, where he was an all-district and all-American player. He comes from a family of teachers and coaches; both his father and brother were basketball coaches in Oklahoma and elected to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
began as an English teacher in Port Arthur ISD. She spent the past 29 years in Conroe ISD, first as a high school English teacher and then as an assistant principal, an associate principal and principal of The Woodlands High School Ninth Grade Campus, where she has served since 2005. Weatherall has a bachelor of arts degree in English from Lamar University. Her master's degree and administrative certification are from Sam Houston State University.
of Music as its 2009 Outstanding Alumnus in Music Education. The award was presented at an alumni reception for the University of Houston School of Music during the Texas Music Educators Association convention in San Antonio in February. Now in the fourth year of his position with the district, Matysiak has been a music educator for 34 years. Before coming to Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, he spent 23 years as head band director at Fort Bend ISD's Clements High School. During his tenure in Fort Bend ISD, the band won numerous state and national awards, and Matysiak was named Teacher of the Year. He also was recognized by Texas Christian University and The University of Texas as an Outstanding Teacher. He holds both a bachelor of music degree and a master of education degree from the University of Houston.
2010-2011 school year. She has served as principal of Reed Elementary for the past eight years; she has 30 years of experience in public education. Before coming to the district, she was an elementary teacher, assistant principal and principal in Lewisville ISD. Thomas earned her bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Texas Tech University and her master of education degree in administration from the University of North Texas.
Currently principal of Sheridan Elementary, she has spent all of her education career with Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. She was a teacher at Francone Elementary for 13 years, and then she served as an assistant principal at that school. She was assistant principal at Sheridan before being promoted to principal, a role in which she has served for seven years. Wilcox has a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Sam Houston State University and a master of education degree in administration from Stephen F. Austin State University.
school and community relations. Initially a computer lab technician at Hill Country Elementary, he joined Bandera ISD's central office three years later as an instructional technologist. Since 2001, he has led the communications and public relations department for the district. He was president of the Texas School Public Relations Association during the 2008-2009 school year; he now is serving his last term on the organization's executive committee as the immediate past president. 
East Region superintendent. He was also an executive principal in that area and was principal of Roberts and Port Houston elementary schools. The Association of Hispanic School Administrators named Sarabia 2005 Principal of the Year.
Richardson ISD, where he was superintendent.
Ingram ISD team for the past 10 years. She was a classroom teacher at Ingram Elementary School for seven years. She served as Ingram Middle School's assistant principal from 2008 until being promoted to her new position. Schwarz earned her master's degree and principal certification from Schreiner University in Kerrville.
will retire at the end of the school year. Perez, who earned a doctorate in education from Texas A&M University, was the first Hispanic superintendent of Midland, Mathis and Clint ISDs. A coach for 13 years, he was the first Hispanic to serve as head coach at Holmes High School in San Antonio's Northside ISD, the first Hispanic head coach in Judson and North East ISDs and the first Hispanic athletic director in Harlandale ISD.
in administration, she served as superintendent of Grapevine-Colleyville ISD from 2004 until accepting her new position in Richardson ISD. Waggoner also led Red Oak ISD from 1997 until 2004. She began her career as a teacher in Nacogdoches ISD, moving to her first administrative role as an assistant principal in Eanes ISD in Austin. She then was curriculum director and assistant superintendent of Joshua ISD. In addition to her work in public schools, Waggoner was an educational specialist with the Texas Education Agency. The 2006-2007 president of the Texas Association of School Administrators, she holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Stephen F. Austin State University. She earned a doctorate at The University of Texas at Austin.
of those as an administrator, he was most recently secondary mathematics and science instructional coordinator for El Paso's Clint ISD. Before becoming an administrator, he taught math at Clarke Middle School and science at Americas High School, both in Socorro ISD. His bachelor's and master's degrees were earned at The University of Texas at El Paso. 
teacher and coach in Socorro ISD, taking her first administrative position as assistant principal of Socorro High School, her most recent assignment. Ramsey's bachelor's degree is from the University of the Pacific, and her master's degree in educational administration is from The University of Texas at El Paso. She is working on her doctorate in educational leadership through Liberty University.
for the past six years he has been director of personnel services. He began his career in 1995 as an elementary teacher. His first administrative assignment came three years later, serving as an assistant principal for three years before being promoted to principal. Four years later, Martinez took his first central office assignment when he became manager of the district's personnel services. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's degree in education administration from The University of Texas at El Paso. His superintendent certification is from Angelo State University.