Q&A with Principal Elena Lopez
October is National Principals Month in ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ ISD, which is a great time to shine the spotlight on the outstanding principals the district has. Next up is Carter Junior High School principal Elena Lopez, who has been busy leading Carter in its final school year while keeping a watchful eye on Joey Rodriguez Junior High School, which opens in the fall of 2025.
Lopez has been the principal at Carter since 2021, but her ties to the district go back to 2005 when she started in the ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ ISD as a counselor at Turning Point Elementary. She was an assistant principal at Crow Elementary School, Ferguson Junior High School and Workman Junior High School before being named principal at Webb Elementary School in 2016. She was at Webb until she came to Carter.
〉How has it been this year being the principal at Carter and then monitoring construction at Rodriguez Junior High?
It’s been a very exciting time. We’re all energized and positive about the transition over to the new campus. It’s like a fresh start. This year has been all about creating traditions that we’re going to take on to the new campus. The level of energy and excitement at the campus is like nothing I’ve seen here.
〉Are you getting more nostalgic about Carter as the year’s gone on?
I think we’re embracing the things that come with Carter as far as the community. We’re embracing everything about the school and looking for ways we can take some of that to the new campus. I don’t see it as doing away with Carter. It’s more about taking all the positive things from Carter – the community, the relationships – and taking that to the new campus and making new things along the way.
〉What’s the biggest difference in being an elementary principal and a junior high principal?
The obvious is that the kids are bigger. That’s one of the obvious things. I love the independence of the junior high students. I love their wit and that they catch onto things from an adult perspective. I appreciate that. I think the age is unique in that students are developing and in the middle of being children and being adults. That’s really cool to see. It’s cool to see a student as a cub and by the time they leave us they’re a cougar. They’re ready to embrace high school and their minds are working and they’re thinking about carers and what am I going to do once I graduate. I love seeing that development. It’s a critical age. We are in a unique situation as educators where we can change the trajectory of students’ lives. I’m so blessed to be part of this community and have an impact, even if it’s in a minute way in kids’ lives. I see the kids every day. Sometimes you don’t know what a simple hello can do for a kid.
〉Is it hard at a junior high because you only have two years to build relationships with kids?
I think that’s one of the challenges. I would love for us to entertain the idea of having sixth grade in the middle school. I think it gives us a little more time with students. It’s very quick. That’s sad for me in this seat because I see all the great gains that kids have in all kinds of ways as a whole child from the two years we have them. I think about how much more I could do if I had that student for one more year. It’s one of those things in a blink of an eye they’re gone. It puts us at a disadvantage. High school has them for four years. Elementary has them for seven years. We have them two.
〉What’s your favorite part about being a principal?
My favorite part from the lens of the teachers that I cross paths with is the ability to step outside of the role and see the leadership skills they may not see. Sometimes it may be as small as a comment they make or seeing them in action and see them leading a club or leading PD and you are able to catch a glimpse of leadership qualities. Same with students. I’m in a unique situation where I get to step back and get to focus on those things. Making them aware of the talents and skills they have puts me at a unique advantage. I get to see that and hone those things that help the teacher recognize those skills. It’s one of the things I love most about the job.