Stephen Gittens has been appointed principal of Woodson K-8 Academy. He has served HISD for 18 years in various capacities, including as a teacher at Wesley and Cornelius elementary schools, assistant principal at Brookline and Whidby elementaries, and for the past five years, principal of Hobby Elementary. Under Gittens leadership, Hobby moved from Improvement Required to Met Standard after his first year. A Madison High School graduate, he earned a bachelor of arts in child psychology from Colorado University and holds two masters, one in leadership and management from Prairie View A&M and a second in business from Rice University. Gittens is an Olympian in track and field.