Irma De La Guardia
Principal
2017-Present

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Meet Stephen C. Foster's School Principal Mrs. Irma De La Guardia

The 2016-2017 school year marks Mrs. Irma De La Guardia’s sixteenth year as an educator for the Dallas Independent School District. This school year was her 2nd year as an assistant principal at Cabell Elementary. Mrs. De La Guardia began her career as an educator in DISD at Kahn Elementary. Later, she became a member of the David G. Burnet learning community followed by Withers Elementary as a Bilingual Teacher. She was teacher leader at Withers where she modeled a successful implementation of the Two Way Dual Language Program. She received the honor of being named the Texas Bilingual Teacher of the Year in 2014 and National Bilingual Teacher of the Year the following year for NABE. She received her Master's in Educational Leadership at Southern Methodist University and Teaching Trust.

Mrs. De La Guardia taught for fourteen years in grades K-3, while serving as a Two-Way Dual Language Program teacher, Grade Level Chair, Campus Instructional Leadership Team member, LPAC member, Teacher of the Year (2009-2010) and DI coach. She supported her campus in the implementation of a school wide writing plan using the Lucy Calkins program. Additionally, she was selected to present training in the Dual Language Department and presented guided reading at the National Conference of the Association in Two Way Dual Language Education in 2015 in Palm Springs, California. She has also written articles and provided professional development in collaboration with Reading A-Z.

In 2015, Mrs. De La Guardia was promoted as an Assistant Principal at Cabell Elementary. Mentoring new teachers became a passion of hers and has continued throughout her career. As part of the leadership team, she facilitated the implementation of an innovative Personalized Learning Program. The use of technology, data driven instruction and the station rotation model were key components that she supported. At Cabell, she was also part of implementing social emotional practices. Along with the Center of Responsive Classroom, she trained the staff on how to implement Morning Meetings and Brain Energizers. Her expertise in DDI and reading practices helped to improve the student's achievement particularly in Index 2. Mrs. De La Guardia is an advocate of strong communities and increased parental involvement on all the campuses that she has worked with.

Mrs. De La Guardia is excited about joining the Foster team and looks forward to another successful year of supporting teachers, students and the community in their educational and professional endeavors.