19 May 2000
Dallas, Texas—Dallas Independent School District today announced that six educators have been named principals of Edison schools that will open in Dallas, Texas, this fall. The partnership with the Dallas Independent School District represents Edison's largest partnership contract to date and will serve approximately 6,500 students in 2000-01 school year, and as many as 16,750 students over the next five years.
New York, New York—Chris Whittle, President and CEO of Edison Schools, said: "I am pleased with the selection of these six promising school leaders. Each of them brings a great breadth of experience to Edison and I am confident they will help create a model of excellence and innovation at the partnership schools in Dallas."
Dr. Bill Rojas, General Superintendent of Dallas Independent School District, announced the principals and says, "We know the importance of leadership in moving schools forward. These six leaders were selected through a process that involved the District, Edison and each school community working together. We are very excited that these six leaders have taken on the challenge of implementing the Edison Schools program in Dallas and look forward to their success."
Ricardo Weir has been selected as the principal of Medrano Elementary, where he is currently serving as principal. Prior to his principalship at Medrano, Weir was the principal of Sam Houston Elementary in Dallas. He also served as an assistant principal at Spence Middle School/TAG Academy. Previously he was an instructional specialist and bilingual teacher for several years at the Dallas Independent School District. He holds a Masters of Arts in Geography/Urban and Regional Planning.
Marco A. Hinojosa has been selected as the principal of Runyon Elementary School, where currently he is serving as principal. Previously Hinojosa served as the assistant principal of Comstock Middle School and Nathaniel Hawthorne Elementary in the Dallas Independent School District. Hinojosa worked as a fifth- and sixth-grade bilingual teacher. He has a Masters of Education in Educational Administration.
Dr. Constance Person will serve as the new principal of Titche Elementary School. She is currently the Director of Exceptional Education for Mount Clemens Community Schools in Michigan. Prior to that, Person worked as the Director for Special Education for the Fort Worth Independent School District in Fort Worth, Texas, where she was also a principal for several years. In addition to working as a Learning Disability Resource Specialist, Person has been a classroom teacher and a learning-disabilities specialist in California. She has a Doctorate in Education in Curriculum and Instruction and a Masters of Arts in Special Education.
Marcos Perez, the current principal of Peabody Elementary, has been selected as the new principal of Henderson Elementary School. Perez has almost 30 years of experience as an elementary principal, a middle school and high school principal, an assistant principal and teacher. Perez has a Masters of Science in administration.
Dr. Deborah Hodridge, who is presently the Dean of Instruction at Hernandez Elementary School, has been selected as the principal of Edison-Hernandez Elementary. Prior to her stint at Hernandez Elementary, Hodridge has worked as an assistant principal, an instructional specialist, and a teacher in the Dallas Independent School District. She holds a Doctorate in Education in Early Childhood Education, with a minor in Administration.
Juanita Nix has been selected as the principal of the Edison-Maple Lawn Elementary School. Nix currently serves as the principal of the Maple Lawn Elementary School. Prior to her tenure at Maple Lawn, she has held numerous positions in the Dallas Independent School District, including principal, assistant principal, Elementary Supervisor, Title I Supervisor, and teacher. She has an Administrator's Certification and a Masters in Education.
Edison currently manages 79 public schools with a total enrollment of approximately 38,000 students in 16 states and 36 cities. Through contracts with local school districts and public charter school boards, Edison assumes educational and operational responsibility for individual schools in return for per-pupil funding that is generally comparable to that spent on other public schools in the area. Over the course of three years of intensive research, Edison's team of leading educators and scholars developed an innovative curriculum and school design. Edison opened its first four schools in August 1995, and has grown rapidly in every subsequent year.
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Contact: DISD Media Relations Office, 972/925-3900