FEBRUARY 23, 2020
EDUCATION
Photo courtesy of HISD
‘PRINCIPALS OF THE YEAR’
HOUSTON – While school leaders across the district were greeting students at their campuses Monday morning, Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan was entering hidden entrances to surprise HISD’s 2019-2020 Elementary and Secondary Principals of the Year. More than 20 North Area administrators, along with hundreds of students, packed into Eliot Elementary School’s cafeteria anxiously waiting to surprise Principal Zandra Aguilar as the district’s 2019-2020 Elementary Principal of the Year. “Aguilar is an exemplary principal who helps build leadership capacity with teachers and has continued to go the extra mile for a number of years in connecting with Eliot students and families,” Lathan said. A tenured principal at Eliot, Aguilar has successfully led the A-rated campus with every academic distinction from TEA to a designated “Exemplary School” with a strong Gifted and Talented program. “My entire team deserves this award because we work hard daily to make sure the children on our campus have the resources they need to succeed, everything from a hug, to shoes and clothing in some cases, to extra academic supports,” Aguilar said. “I am so grateful to the staff, students, my husband and children, and the entire community for this honor because I could not
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have done it without them.” Principal Carlos Phillips of Washington High School was busy giving an overview of the district’s new “See Something, Say Something” safety campaign to a packed auditorium (discreetly filled with family, friends and students) when Lathan made a surprise entrance to crown him as the district’s 2019-2020 Secondary Principal of the Year. Since joining Washington five years ago, Phillips has led the campus in exiting “Improvement Required” to developing a high-performing engineering program. “We have come a long way on our campus, and we will keep pushing the envelope to reach even greater heights,” Phillips said. “Receiving these awards is unbelievable. I want to thank my students and staff for always working exceptionally hard. I love this school.” The decorated principal had one more surprise waiting for him as he gave his thank you speech when representatives from H-E-B stormed the stage to name him a finalist for the H-E-B Excellence in Education Leadership Award, which includes a $1,000 personal prize and a $2,500 prize for the school. The two principals will go on to represent the district at the state’s regional principal of the year competition, as well as be recognized at HISD’s Educators of the Year celebration in May. - AANI
DR. JOHNSON cont’d from cover
“One of the things that was most attractive about TSU was its urban mission. I’ve enjoyed reaching out and being a part of the community and helping it grow. Ensuring our kids are competitive is primarily the reason I’ve stayed at TSU,” Johnson said. “I’ve had the opportunity to do lots in the community, including creating non-profits, building affordable homes in Third Ward and Sunnyside and working with extraordinary people. I’ve had an exciting, happy and rewarding life here.” Johnson has served as a TMSL faculty member since August 1991. In 1992, she founded the Earl Carl Institute for Legal and Social Policy, Inc., a non-profit think tank for the Thurgood Marshall School of Law. She directed the institute for 20 years. Johnson has also served in administrative capacities at the law school including interim assistant dean and interim dean. Johnson has spent much of her adult life in public service and has served in numerous capacities at the national, state, and local levels. During her tenure at TMSL, Johnson has authored and or co-authored case books and articles, position papers and other publications including the Our Storybook on the history and legacy of Texas Southern University’s presidents from the institution’s founding to 2008. Johnson served as director of TSU’s Urban Research and Resource Center until October 2019 and is now a professor law at TMSL. Johnson is married to Dr. Luckett Johnson and has three sons: Jules Evan Johnson, Vincent Alan Johnson, and Luckett Anthony Johnson. She is also the proud grandmother of six. - AANI
COUNTY ATTORNEY VINCE RYAN
Representing the People of Harris County Environmental Protection • Neighborhood Protection • Consumer Protection
www.VoteVinceRyan.org
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GREATER HOUSTON AREA
