Elodia Witterstaetter, Nash Elementary Assistant Principal, has been selected as the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA) Region VIII Assistant Principal of the Year.
TEPSA recognizes outstanding assistant principals from the twenty regional Education Service Centers throughout the state. School administrators are nominated based upon exemplary performance and outstanding leadership. As a Region VIII winner, Witterstaetter will now move forward in the selection of the TEPSA National Assistant Principal of the Year that will be announced at the end of March.
She began her career in education at Texas Middle School (TMS) as a Clerical Aide in 2003. Witterstaetter advanced to the position of Administrative Assistant for TMS by 2007. She was a member of the first cohort accepted into the TISD Pathway to Teaching Program that helps fund tuition for para-professionals employed by the district to become certified teachers. All members of the program sign a contract with the district to work at least three years within the district or repay the funds provided.
In August 2010, Witterstaetter moved into the position of Math Teacher at TMS and in 2014 was chosen to serve as Assistant Principal for Nash Elementary.
“If it wasn’t for former Texas Middle School Principal, George Moore, I would not be where I am today,” said Witterstaetter. “He saw potential in me and believed in me before I believed in myself. Through his encouragement, I went back to school and become my family’s first-generation college graduate.”
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According to Witterstaetter, she knew that when she began teaching in 2010, that she wanted to continue her career in education and aspired to become an administrator to make an impact on students and teachers. “Now as I am in my sixth year of being an assistant principal, I continue to have the privilege and opportunity to serve our students, staff and parents daily and be a support system for them.”
She holds a Bachelor of General Studies with a Concentration in Mathematics along with a Master of Education in Educational Administration and Principal Certification in Grades EC-12 from Texas A&M University – Texarkana.
Witterstaetter was named Texas Middle School REACH Teacher of the Year, is a 2019 Leadership Texarkana graduate, current Provisional Member for the Junior League of Texarkana and holds membership in the Northeast Texas Alliance of Black School Educators and TEPSA.
She is married to Randy Witterstaetter and they have three children – Randall (15), Ryan (14) and Riley (9). They are members of First Baptist Church of Wake Village.
Regional winners will be recognized during the TEPSA Summer Conference in Austin in June 2020.
