Team HISD welcomes four new principals, new school support officer

Five new administrators have been added to Team HISD. 

McReynolds Middle School, Henry Middle School, the Energy Institute High School and the Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan have all been assigned new principals, and a former HISD administrator is returning to the district as a new School Support Officer.

• Paul Zevallos (McReynolds MS)—Paul Zevallos comes with experience spanning three school levels.  A native of Kansas City, Missouri, who was raised in Dallas, Texas, Zevallos began his educational career as a teacher at Maple Lawn Elementary in the Dallas Independent School District.  After seven years in the classroom, he served as an elementary and middle school principal. Zevallos attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies, History, and Spanish, and he earned his masters of educational administration from the University of North Texas.
• Sarah Stafford (Henry MS)—Beginning in June, Sarah Stafford will serve as the principal of Henry Middle School. She began her career in HISD as a 2007 Teach for America Corps member at that same campus and then moved into the role of math department chair and later, assistant principal.  She also served as the school director for the 2012 Teach for America Summer Institute. Stafford received her bachelor of science degree in physics with a minor in mathematics and a bachelor of arts degree in Spanish from Azusa Pacific University in California.  She most recently completed her masters of business administration degree through the Rice Education Entrepreneurship Program at Rice University. Her in-depth knowledge of curriculum and instruction, strong connections to the Henry community, and fluency in Spanish will help her lead the school to the next level.

• Lori Lambropoulos (Energy Institute High School)—Lori Lambropoulos brings a wide range of experience to HISD. She has 13 years of secondary classroom experience, which includes ninth-grade English and integrated physics/chemistry. After receiving her principal certification in 2006, Lambropoulos served in a school leadership capacity at Westside High School. As a small school principal of the computing science and engineering house, Lambropoulos designed the Westside Engineering and Geosciences Academy (WEGA) through a partnership with the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA).  This experience produced a pathway of cutting-edge opportunities for high school students who were passionate about math and science. Most recently, Lambropoulos served as the dean of instruction. Last year, in honor of her diligence and hard work, she was awarded HISD’s High School Assistant Principal of the Year. Lambropoulos received her bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her masters in educational leadership from Stephen F. Austin University.

• Jyoti Malhan (Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan)—Jyoti Malhan brings in-depth knowledge of curriculum and instruction to the role of principal of the Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan. Prior to her new role, she served as the dean of instruction at the Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy. Before that, she worked for two years as magnet coordinator at the nationally acclaimed engineering magnet program at the high school for engineering professions at Washington High School. In this role, she was able to increase enrollment by 87% in one year, revive past partnerships, and raise funds to support the program and successfully write and receive a grant for $86,000. Malhan also worked five years as an ELA Advanced Placement, Dual Credit and ESL teacher. She has multiple educator certifications and has a bachelor’s degree in science and a master’s degree in English and is currently finishing her doctorate in curriculum and instruction with a focus on urban education from Texas A&M University.

• Susan Kaler (Elementary School Support Officer)— Susan Kaler will be serving as non-traditional school support officer in the elementary schools office under the leadership of Sam Sarabia. Kaler brings with her a wealth of experience in systems thinking and organizational management. She began her career in HISD as a research specialist, where she developed, implemented, and reported on outcomes of district research projects and major initiatives. As the manager of Policy Administration, Susan was responsible for the oversight of all policy-related activities, including preparation of governance documents, and Board of Education action items.  With a keen focus on systems analysis, Kaler assumed the role of director, where she managed all departments reporting to the chief of staff, as well as defining and championing change initiatives, organizational strategies, policy, and practices.  Currently, Susan is responsible for guiding the work of compliance and operating functions as the chief operating officer at KIPP-Houston Charter Schools.