Who’s News Abilene ISD Michael Garcia, most recently principal of Long Elementary, is now principal of Martinez Elementary School. An employee of Abilene ISD for 25 years, he was principal of Long since 2009. A graduate Michael Garcia of Abilene Christian University, he was initially a teacher and coach, taking his first administrative position, as assistant principal of Abilene High School, in 2004. Lisa McCool, former instructional coordinator at Long Elementary, is now that school’s principal. She has been an educator for 25 years, working as a teacher and administrator in Plano and Dallas ISDs, Lisa McCool as well as spending nine years as an educational consultant at ESC Region 11 in Fort Worth. She joined Abilene ISD in 2014. Alison Sims, who had been serving as instructional coordinator at Bowie Elementary, now leads Ward Elementary as principal. A graduate of Abilene ISD’s Cooper High School, she Alison Sims arrived in the district as an elementary teacher in 1998, going on to work as a guidance counselor before taking her most recent job in 2011. The new director of Holland Medical High School is Lyndsey Williamson. She was formerly a guidance counselor at Abilene High School. She came to Abilene ISD in 2005 as a mathLyndsey ematics teacher at Williamson Mann Middle School and, after spending a year as a teacher in Menard ISD, returned to the district as a geometry and algebra teacher at Abilene High. She took her most recent position in 2009. 6
Texas School Business • June 2015
Aransas County ISD The district has tapped Denise Poland as its coordinator of elementary instruction. She comes to her new job from serving as the assistant principal of Live Oak Learning Center. Austin ISD Superintendent Paul Cruz has been elected to the executive committee of the Council of Great City Schools. He will serve a three-year term. Cruz has been a classroom teacher and administrator in ISDs Paul Cruz in South Texas, Corpus Christi and San Antonio. He also is a past superintendent of Laredo ISD and once served as TEA’s deputy commissioner for dropout prevention. He received his bachelor’s degree in education from The University of Texas and his master’s degree in educational administration from Corpus Christi State University (now Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi). His doctorate in educational leadership was awarded from The University of Texas, where he was a fellow in the Cooperative Superintendency Program. Now serving as principal of Kocurek Elementary School is Heather Scholl. She has been with the district for 17 years, previously working as an assistant principal at Pleasant Hill, Palm and Mills elementary schools. Bandera ISD The Bandera ISD Board of Trustees has named Gary Bitzkie director of curriculum and employee services. He takes his new job after serving as principal of Bandera High School. He has been with the district Gary Bitzkie as a middle and high school principal since 1998. In addition, he has been a science teacher, coach and vice principal in Southwest and Pleasanton ISDs. Bitzkie, who holds a bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at San Antonio, received his master’s de-
gree in educational administration from Texas A&M University at Kingsville. Bastrop ISD A new principal will begin the 2015-2016 school year at Lost Pines Elementary School. Melinda Gardner was the school’s assistant principal since 2012. She has been with the district since 2005, serving as a math and curriculum Melinda Gardner science specialist, in addition to her most recent assignment. She is a graduate of Texas State University, with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies. She also has a master’s degree in educational administration from Lamar University. Birdville ISD David Hamilton is principal of Haltom High School. He comes to his new job from Dallas ISD, where he was principal of Conrad High since 2013. He previously was with Birdville ISD as assistant principal of HalDavid Hamilton tom High, from 2011 to 2013. He also worked in Waco ISD, from 2005 to 2011, in teaching and administrative positions. A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Hamilton received his master’s degree from Tarleton State University. Blooming Grove ISD Marshall Harrison, former superintendent of Comanche ISD, is Blooming Grove ISD’s new superintendent. Brazosport ISD Danny Massey has been named superintendent after serving as interim superintendent since January. He has been a Brazosport ISD employee for 24 years.
See WHO’S NEWS on page 8