Meet the Dallas ISD Principal of the Year finalists

Dallas ISD celebrates teaching excellence by recognizing outstanding educators who are making a difference in the lives of students every day. Meet 2021-2022 Principal of the Year finalists. From the finalists, one principal will be selected from each category to represent Dallas ISD as Principal of the Year. Winners will be announced at the inaugural 2021-2022 Dallas ISD Educator of the Year Awards presented in partnership with the Dallas Education Foundation and Reliant on May 10, 2022.

Elementary Finalists

Antonio Verduzco

Theresa Fernandez Sigurdson is the principal of Francisco “Pancho” Medrano Junior High School. As the school’s principal for the past 12 years, Sigurdson has focused not only on individualized support for the students’ academic needs, but also on maximizing their social, emotional, and cultural growth.

During Sigurdson’s tenure, Medrano Junior High successfully integrated students from another middle schools that was destroyed by a tornado. Sigurdson has secured several grants and partnerships to provide additional supports and resources to students. She also led the restorative discipline pilot, which continues today and adds to the positive, welcoming, and productive environment on campus.

In addition to her principal certificate from the University of North Texas, Sigurdson holds a Master of Education concentrating on curriculum and instruction from the University of New Orleans, and a bachelor’s degree education from Loyola University.

Katherine Wanserski Eska

Katherine Wanserski Eska is in her fifth year serving as principal at North Dallas High School. A graduate of the University ofGabrelle Dickson has served as principal of Young Women’s STEAM Academy at Balch Springs for five years. She began her career in 1999 as a seventh-grade English teacher in Austin ISD before joining San Antonio ISD as part of a turnaround team at Sam Houston High School.

Although being a principal is all she ever wanted to do, Dickson’s administrative journey included stops as a Title I grant manager and intervention specialist before taking a leap of faith in 2015 that landed her in the Dallas ISD’s principal fellows program. An assistant principal role at H. Grady Spruce High School soon followed.

Dickson holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Education in educational administration from Texas State University. She was named a 2018 Southeast Network Secondary Principal of the Year, a 2019 Dallas ISD Master Principal, and 2020 Single Gender Cluster Principal of the Year. She serves on multiple district advisory boards, as a Principal Impact Collaborative alumnus, and as mentor to five new campus principals.

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson has served as the principal of Sudie L. Williams Talented and Gifted Academy for the last four years. A proud Dallas ISD graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, he is especially proud to serve as an educator in his home community. He is an honors graduate of Texas College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history, and a graduate of The University of Texas at Arlington, where he earned a master’s in educational leadership and policy studies. Jackson is currently pursuing a doctorate in education at The University of Texas at Austin’s Cooperative Superintendency Program.

Inspired by his own teachers, the 22-year veteran educator has served as a teacher, a teacher mentor, basketball coach, grade-level chair, campus instructional coach, AVID coordinator, assistant principal, and principal  at the elementary and secondary levels—all in Dallas ISD.

He has been recognized as a Campus Teacher of the Year, Magnet School Principal of the Year and has earned a Master Principal designation. He has also served on the Chief of Schools’ Focus Group and the Superintendent’s Principals Group.

Under his leadership, Sudie L. Williams TAG Academy has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as the #6 ranked elementary school in the state of Texas. Jackson’s two favorite mottos are: “Give the people light, and they will find their way” and “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.”