Dr. Michelle Burke
Dr. Michelle Burke has been selected as the new director for HISD’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Department.
Dr. Burke will report directly to Chief Student Support Officer Mark Smith. She will continue working on assisting schools, families, and community stakeholders with the tools, guidance, and resources needed to support student academic achievement. She will take an active role in empowering families and the community at large to make the best decisions for their child’s academic success.
“I am so honored to have the privilege to lead our family and community engagement efforts,” Dr. Burke said. “I look forward to sharing my passion and service to the community and will continue building solid partnerships with our schools, families, and the community to impact the success of our students.”
Dr. Burke has 15 years of experience in education. Prior to joining the Family and Community Engagement Department, she was part of the Multilingual Department, where she led the alignment of HISD’s Dual Language Observation/Reflection Tool with the National Guiding Principles for Dual Language. Her work also includes cross-collaborative efforts with the Curriculum Department to facilitate the alignment of pre-kindergarten and fourth-grade curriculum with dual language components.
Her experience as a teacher, an assistant principal, and as a principal has allowed Dr. Burke to develop a keen understanding and passion about serving the community. She has served in Title I schools and worked closely with teachers, parents, and students to improve parental involvement, academics, attendance, and discipline, which included developing practical hands-on workshops for parents to support student learning at home.
Dr. Burke is a product of HISD, having graduated from Lamar High School, attended Gregory-Lincoln Education Center during middle school, and Memorial Elementary School. She holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Houston Downtown, a master’s degree in instructional leadership from Sam Houston State University and a doctoral degree in educational leadership and supervision from the University of Houston.