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New principals include: Natalie Blasingame, Michele
Hilbreth (not pictured), Lance Stallworth, Valerie
Johnson, Mary Lou Davalos, Alexia Greiner, David
Rodriguez,
Anick Watson, Vidal Garza, Sara Hannes
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They hail from Spring Branch, South Africa and the
sea-slapped Seychelles Islands. They have worked more
than 120 years combined in Spring Branch ISD, and have
50 more years experience gained elsewhere. Many have
earned undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees.
New principals will provide leadership for the school
year ahead at Spring Woods High and Northbrook Middle
schools, Westchester Academy for International Studies,
the District Alternative Education Program (DAEP),
and at several elementary and prekindergarten campuses.
Named principal at Spring Woods High School, 2045
Gessner, is Lance Stallworth, who has served as administrative
principal at the high school since 2004.
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin who
holds a master’s degree in political science
from the University of Houston, Stallworth has taught
or worked as an administrator for 11 years in Spring
Branch ISD. He replaces Spring Woods High Principal
Wayne Schaper Jr., who now serves as the district’s
director of academies and transitions.
Natalie Blasingame, who was Pine Shadows Elementary
principal for seven years, has been named campus director
at Westchester Academy for International Studies, 901
Yorkchester. She replaces Pamela Butler, who opened
the district’s popular public charter middle
and high school. Butler has been named secondary executive
director for teaching and learning in SBISD.
A native of South Africa, Blasingame holds undergraduate
and graduate degrees from the University of Texas at
Austin, Stephen F. Austin State University and the
University of Houston, respectively.
The District Alternative Education Program, meanwhile,
will be directed beginning this year by Michele
Hilbreth,
who brings 25 years of teaching and administrative
experience to her job. Since 2004, she has served as
principal at Harris County Department of Education’s
Highpoint North Alternative School.
She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees
in education from Texas A&M and Sam Houston State
universities.
At Northbrook Middle School, 3030 Rosefield, veteran
SBISD teacher and principal Valerie
Johnson will begin
the new year as campus leader. She replaces Laura Schuhmann,
who resigned earlier this year.
Johnson has taught and been a principal in Spring
Branch for 23 years. A teacher at Hollibrook and Buffalo
Creek elementary schools, she was an assistant principal
for three years at Northbrook Middle before becoming
principal in 2001 at Buffalo Creek Elementary. She
has earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees
from the University of Texas at Austin and Prairie
View A&M University.
Four new elementary school principals and two directors
of Schools for Early Learning, or prekindergartens,
have been named. The new elementary principals are
Mary Lou Davalos at Housman Elementary, 6705 Housman;
Alexia Greiner at Pine Shadows, 9900 Neuens; David
Rodriguez at Buffalo Creek, 2801 Blalock; and Anick
Watson at Memorial Drive Elementary, 11202 Smithdale.
Davalos, who was assistant principal at Housman Elementary,
has taught and served as a principal in SBISD for 13
years. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees
from Sam Houston State and Prairie View A&M universities.
A native of Syracuse, N.Y., Greiner has taught for
19 years and was a school improvement specialist for
two years at Pine Shadows Elementary. She earned undergraduate
and graduate degrees in elementary education from the
State University of New York (SUNY) at Cortland.
Rodriguez, a 12-year veteran of Spring Branch schools,
moves to Buffalo Creek Elementary from three years
as assistant principal at Treasure Forest Elementary.
A drama major at Angelo State University, he received
the Gordon Cain Scholarship from the University of
Houston-Downtown, where he earned his master’s
degree in curriculum and instruction.
Memorial Drive’s new principal, Anick
Watson,
is a 16-year SBISD veteran. She taught at Pine Shadows
and Buffalo Creek elementary schools and then was an
assistant principal at Westwood and Memorial Drive
elementary schools.
Raised on the Seychelles Islands in the middle of
the Indian Ocean, she earned a French literature degree,
and then a master’s degree in education from
the University of St. Thomas.
In the prekindergarten schools, meanwhile, Vidal
Garza will be the director at Tiger Trail School for Early
Learning, 10406 Tiger Trail, and Sara Hannes will head
up the Panda Path School, 8575 Pitner. Garza is a 17-year
veteran of Spring Branch schools and holds degrees
from the University of Texas, Pan-American and the
University of St. Thomas.
Sara Hannes, who holds bilingual education degrees
from the University of Houston and Houston Baptist
University, has worked in Spring Branch schools for
22 years.
Secondary Principals/Directors
Lance Stallworth
• Hometown: Houston
• Education/Major: Bachelor’s degree, government,
University of Texas (1988); master’s degree, political
science, University of Houston, 1998.
• Teaching career: Taught social studies at Westfield
High and Dueitt Middle School, four years, Spring ISD,
then at Spring Branch Middle and Cornerstone Academy,
two years; after working as an instructional specialist
and in technology integration, was assistant principal
at Northbrook Middle, two years, and then since 2004
administrative principal at Spring Woods High.
• Family: Wife, Andrea, is a homemaker and former
teacher; three children: Philip, 14; Andrew, 5; and Abby,
who is 3 years old
• Wanted to be as a child: A politician, FBI agent,
or work in foreign countries
• Best thing about being a principal: Being around
kids
• Favorite subject in school: History
• Something people don’t know: Went to graduate
school for Asian Studies, learned Chinese, and spent
a summer in Taiwan.
Natalie Blasingame
• Hometown: Durban, South Africa
• Education/Major: Elsik High School graduate; bachelor’s
degree, advertising, University of Texas at Austin; master’s
degree in secondary education, Stephen F. Austin State
University; doctorate in administration and supervision,
University of Houston.
• Teaching career: Sixteeen years experience as
a teacher and administrator; Teach for America Corps ’92
member; student teacher in South Central Los Angeles;
bilingual teacher, Walnut Bend Elementary in HISD; assistant
principal, five years, Alief ISD; principal, seven years,
Pine Shadows Elementary..
• Family: Husband, Robert; 2-year-old daughter,
Madeleine; and supportive parents and a 92-year-old grandmother
who lives in Sugar Land.
• Wanted to be as a child: Lawyer
• Best thing about being a principal: Knowing that
every single day you make a difference for kids and families.
• Favorite subject in school: Language arts and
science
• Something people don’t know: I ran the mile
and threw the shot put for my high school track team
and I was also on the drill team.
Michele Hilberth
• Hometown: Raised in South Bend, Ind., and then
moved to Texas
• Education/Major: Bachelor’s degree, health,
Texas A&M University; master’s degree in administration,
Sam Houston State University; currently working on doctorate
in educational leadership.
• Teaching career: Taught seventh grade science
and health, five years, Dallas ISD; taught Tomball and
Spring ISDs, including assistant principal and principal
at Dueitt Middle School; then principal, four years,
at Harris County Department of Education’s Highpoint
North Alternative School.
• Family: A 21-year-old son attends Lone Star College
and a 23-year-old daughter has graduated with a degree
in interior design from Stephen F. Austin University
• Wanted to be as a child: A doctor
• Best thing about being a principal: Helping at-risk
kids realize that they can be successful
• Favorite subject in school: Science
• Something people don’t know: A self-described “Santa
freak,” she has a Santa room at her house and has
been collecting Christmas houses for 15 years; she has
more than 110 Santa houses and more than 400 Santa ornaments. “In
my world, it is Christmas every day,” she says. “I
love Santa and what he stands for – kindness, generosity,
a giving spirit.”
Valerie Johnson
• Hometown: Houston
• Education/Major: Westchester High School graduate
(1980); bachelor’s degree, education, University
of Texas at Austin; master’s degree, mid-management,
Prairie View A&M University.
• Teaching career: Taught at the elementary level
for 14 years, including twelve at Hollibrook Elementary
and two years at Buffalo Creek; served two years as assistant
principal at Northbrook Middle and then was principal
of Buffalo Creek Elementary for seven years.
• Family: One son, now in eighth grade, attends
an SBISD school
• Wanted to be as a child: Dreamed of being a gymnast,
but deep down wanted to be a teacher.
• Best thing about being a principal: The best part
is getting to know so many of the kids at the school
and getting to participate in so many different classrooms
and activities and work with the teachers. I love it
all.
• Favorite subject in school: Reading
• Something people don’t know: Has a much
loved greyhound and her eclectic taste in music ranges
from Broadway show tunes to rap.
Elementary Principals
Anick Watson
• Hometown: Seychelles Islands
• Education/Major: Bachelor’s degree, Rockford
College; master’s degree in education management,
University of St. Thomas
• Teaching career: Taught first and second grades
at Pine Shadows Elementary, was an administrator at Westwood
Elementary, and was assistant principal at Memorial Drive
Elementary.
• Family: Husband and three children
• Wanted to be as a child: A teacher
• Best thing about being a principal: For me, it’s
always about bringing the entire campus together.
• Favorite subject in school: Reading and geography
• Something people don’t know: Seychelles
Islands Girls Table Tennis champion
Mary Lou Davalos
• Hometown: Harlingen, Texas
• Education/Major: Bachelor’s degree, Sam
Houston State University (1995); master’s degree
in education, Prairie View A&M University (2001).
• Teaching career: Taught 14 years in Spring Branch
ISD, including bilingual and English as a Second Language
at the elementary level, and math support and Spanish
in middle school
• Wanted to be as a child: Veterinarian
• Best thing about being a principal: The people,
all of the students and staff
• Favorite subject in school: Math
• Something people don’t know: Works with
race horses
David Rodriguez
• Hometown: Born Monterrey, Mexico, and grew
up in Laredo, Texas
• Education/Major: Bachelor’s degree, drama,
Angelo State University (1989); master’s degree
in curriculum and instruction, University of Houston-Downtown
(2005).
• Teaching career: Twelve years in SBISD, including
five years as a bilingual teacher at Shadow Oaks and
three years at Housman Elementary; served one year as
a reading intervention specialist and three years as
the assistant principal at Treasure Forest Elementary
• Family: A brother, Jaime, and sister-in-law, Alma,
both of whom work in SBISD; owns three rescue dogs – Maximus,
Daisy and Rambo
• Wanted to be as a child: A playwright and director
• Best thing about being a principal: I like being
able to work closely with teachers and students as well
as being able to have a positive influence on the community.
• Favorite subject in school: Language arts and
social studies
• Something people don’t know: In college,
he wrote and directed one-act plays and monologues and
hopes to get back to writing one day; wants to have a
foster home for pugs.
Alexia Greiner
• Hometown: Syracuse, N.Y.
• Education/Major: Bachelor’s degree, cum
laude, education, State University of New York (SUNY)
at Cortland (1989); master’s degree, cum laude,
education, SUNY at Cortland (1992)
• Teaching career: Taught elementary and middle
school for 12 years in the North Syracuse Central School
District; taught 6th grade math for one year at Northbrook
Middle; was the math school improvement specialist at
Pine Shadows Elementary for two years; served as assistant
principal at Bunker Hill Elementary for four years.
• Family: Husband, Michael, a business man, and
two cats, Tank and Gigi
• Wanted to be as a child: A Broadway musical star
• Best thing about being a principal: Getting to
know all the children.
• Favorite subject in school: History
• Something people don’t know: Hiked the Grand
Canyon twice and is writing a romance novel
Schools for Early Learning
Sara Hannes
• Hometown: Guadalajara, Guanajuto State, Mexico
• Education/Major: Northbrook High graduate; bachelor’s
degree, bilingual education, University of Houston (1987);
master’s degree, bilingual education, Houston Baptist
University, 1992.
• Teaching career: Bilingual teacher, seven years,
Shadow Oaks Elementary; district reading recovery teacher
leader, eight years; district accelerated reading intervention
specialist, seven years.
• Family: Husband, Wyatt, an oil and gas landman;
two rescue dogs, Gretchen and Ginger
• Wanted to be as a child: A veterinarian
• Best thing about being a principal: Having an
impact on the programs that students receive
• Favorite subject in school: Reading
• Something people don’t know: Trained as
a Hatha Yoga teacher.
Vidal Garza
• Hometown: Roma, Texas
• Education/Major: Bachelor’s degree, interdisciplinary
studies, University of Texas, Pan-American; master’s
in education, University of St. Thomas
• Teaching career: Bilingual teacher for eight years
at Spring Branch Elementary; assistant principal for
eight years at Shadow Oaks Elementary
• Wanted to be as a child: A teacher
• Best thing about being a principal: Being around
children and seeing the students engaged in learning
• Favorite subject in school: History
• Something people don’t know: Stuttered as
a young boy
Communications Department intern Kelli Trapnell contributed
to this report.
posted 08-26-08
