Category Archives: Staff updates

Holley Mays named new principal of Neff Early Childhood Center

Holley Mays

Holley Mays is the new principal for Neff Early Learning Center. Over the past 8 years she has served as a teacher, Teacher Specialist and recently Assistant Principal of Neff Elementary, grades 2-5.  She has been a participant in various leadership training opportunities within the district, including the Assistant Principal Candidate Development Opportunity, West Area Emergent Leader Cohort, and Principal Candidate Development Opportunity. She was named “Assistant Principal of the Year” for West Area Elementary Schools for the 2020-2021 school year. 

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Priscilla Rivas named new principal of Kinder HSPVA

Priscilla Rivas
Priscilla Rivas

Dr. Priscilla Rivas is the new principal for Kinder HSPVA. Rivas is an experienced educator and artist. She joined Houston ISD in 2005 as a teacher at Herrera and then Memorial Elementary Schools.  Rivas proceeded to serve as an assistant principal at Browning and principal at Crockett which serves a robust elementary performing and visual arts program. Rivas is also a performing artist, artistic director, and teacher for dance and visual arts with a passion for making the arts accessible to all. 

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Luis Sabillón named new principal of Coop Elementary School

Luis Sabillón has been selected as the new principal of Coop Elementary School. Sabillón currently serves as a Dean of Instruction for Marshall Academy of Fine Arts. During his tenure at Marshall, he oversaw LPAC, Special Education, IAT, PLCs, and lead the ELA and Math Departments. He began his educational career at Brookline Elementary as a classroom teacher and served as an Early Childhood Teacher Specialist.

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Maria Dolores Perejón-Lasheras named new principal of Clifton Middle School

Maria Dolores “Lola” Perejón-Lasheras

Maria Dolores “Lola” Perejón-Lasheras has been selected as the new principal of Clifton Middle School.  Perejón-Lasheras has served as a teacher, instructional specialist, curriculum specialist in the HISD Curriculum Department, magnet coordinator, assistant principal, and for the last five years as Principal of Helms Elementary. At Helms, she was instrumental in that school’s rise from an “improvement required” status to meet the standard with a “B” rating.   In October 2019, she was awarded the Excellence in Leadership Award and was named 2021 HISD Elementary Principal of the Year. 

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Yamel Melchor named new principal of Whittier Elementary School

Yamel Melchor

Yamel Melchor has been selected as the new principal for Whittier ES, where she was previously served as assistant principal. She began her educational journey in 2006 as a bilingual early childhood and fourth grade teacher at Cage Elementary. After 7 years as a teacher, she stepped into the role of teacher specialist at Whittier ES. Melchor has been recognized with several awards, including First Year Assistant Principal of the Year and Tier II Excellence in Leadership Award.

Melchor earned her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Houston and her master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of Texas-Austin.

Marcie Colemon named new principal of Wainwright Elementary School

Marcie Colemon has been selected as the new principal of Wainwright Elementary School.  Colemon began her career in 2009 as an Early Childhood educator in North Forest ISD and then joined Houston ISD. Colemon most recently served as the assistant principal at MacGregor Elementary School.  She was awarded the Northwest Area Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year this school year.  Colemon is a native Houstonian and a proud product of Houston ISD schools.  

She graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a bachelor’s in Political Science Pre-Law and the University of St. Thomas with a master’s in Educational Leadership.

David Church named new principal of Travis Elementary School

David Church

David Church has been selected as the new principal of Travis Elementary School. He has served as the teacher specialist at Oak Forest Elementary School for the past three years. Church began his career with HISD in 2002 as a 4th-grade teacher at Travis Elementary School and then at Oak Forest Elementary School.

Church has a bachelor’s degree from Creighton University and master’s degrees from Marquette University and Prairie View A&M University.

Sanjuanita Mottu named new principal of Tijerina Elementary School

Sanjuanita Mottu

Sanjuanita Mottu has been selected as the new principal of Tijerina Elementary School. Mottu is a product of HISD schools and has served as a teacher at Lyons Elementary, magnet coordinator at Burbank Middle School, and for the past 3 years as the Assistant Principal at Tijerina Elementary, her childhood school. In 2019, she was awarded the East Area Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year.

Mottu earned her bachelor’s degree at Texas A&M University, and her master’s degree from the Concordia University-Austin. 

Lindsey Vela named new principal of Pin Oak Middle School

Lindsey Vela has been selected as the new principal of Pin Oak Middle School. Vela has 18 years of experience serving diverse student populations in rural, suburban and urban districts. Vela has served HISD as a Dean of Students at West Briar Middle School for the last 3 years. Most recently, Vela was named West Area Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year. 

She graduated from the University of Texas—Pan American with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and English and Concordia University—Austin with a Master’s in Educational Leadership.

Jesseye Brown named new principal of Bellfort Early Childhood Center

Jesseye Brown has been selected as the new principal of Bellfort Early Childhood Center. Brown began her educational career in Aldine ISD as a 5th grade elementary school teacher. Most recently, she served in HISD as a teacher, department chair, teacher specialist, and assistant principal at Ortiz Middle School. Brown was selected as the Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year for the East Area for 2020-2021.

She earned her bachelor’s degree at University of Houston and her master’s degree from University of Texas at Arlington