Today, Dallas Independent School District announced the six principals, all selected from within the district, who will lead the 2015-2016 Accelerating Campus Excellence (ACE) schools. The new ACE principals are:
| ACE Campus | Incoming Principal | Incoming Principal’s Current Campus |
| Annie Webb Blanton Elementary School | Ms. Laura Garza | Ascher Silberstein Elementary School |
| Roger Q. Mills Elementary School | Ms. Janeen Pantoja | Current Division 2 Coordinator |
| Elisha M. Pease Elementary School | Ms. Angel McKoy | Soto Elementary School |
| Umphrey Lee Elementary School | Ms. Roshonda Clayton-Brown | Birdie Alexander Elementary |
| Thomas A. Edison Middle Learning Center | Mr. Luis Valdez | Raul Quintanilla, Sr. Middle |
| Sarah Zumwalt Middle School | Mr. Troy Tyson | Whitney M. Young, Jr. Elementary |
The district formally launched the ACE initiative yesterday. The initiative is intended to activate the three primary factors that drive campus success: a strong leadership team, an effective teacher in every classroom, and high expectations for both staff and students.
“We are pleased to announce we have selected six exceptional leaders to transform these schools,” said Deputy Superintendent Dr. Ann Smisko. “These principals have been selected based on their demonstrated track record for improving student achievement, fostering a positive professional culture, and building strong instructional teams.”
The goal of the district is to improve academic performance of students at ACE campuses by re-staffing them with a strong leadership team and a high concentration of teachers who are eligible for the district’s new Distinguished Teacher Review (DTR) process. Recognizing the challenges that a turnaround environment poses, the district will provide financial incentives of up to $12,000 for teachers and staff members who voluntarily choose to transfer to an ACE campus.
The ACE principals will spend time at both campuses for the remainder of the school year as the district conducts a comprehensive principal search for their successors.
