New UT Elementary Executive Director and Principal Have Strong College of Education Ties - April 2, 2010

Melissa Chavez, a doctoral candidate in The University of Texas at Austin’s College of Education, and Mary Ledbetter, a demonstration teacher for College of Education apprentice teachers, have been named executive director and principal, respectively, for the University of Texas Elementary School (UTES). The management board for the UTES made the selection.

The appointments follow the departure of Dr. Ramona Treviño, UTES founding principal and CEO, to become chief academic officer at Austin Independent School District (AISD).

"The management board is pleased that Ms. Chavez has agreed to become executive director of UT Elementary School," Dr. Gregory J. Vincent, vice president for diversity and community engagement at The University of Texas at Austin and board chair for UTES, said. "She has been with the school since its inception, she has a deep knowledge of the school's cutting-edge programs, and as the most recent principal, led the school to its exemplary rating."

He added, "Ms. Ledbetter brings more than six years of administrative experience to the principalship. She has worked in schools throughout Austin and has a real sense of the community that UTES serves."

Chavez, who is working on her doctorate in the College of Education’s Department of Special Education, has been the principal for the past two years.

"We will continue on in the spirit of excellence that we have been building together for the past seven years," Chavez said. "Our team is excited to preserve our outstanding reputation of serving our students well while scaling up our efforts to share best practices with the larger education community."

Ledbetter, who has been in the field of education for more than 20 years, has been UTES assistant principal this year and has been a principal for AISD in the past. She will continue to be a demonstration teacher for social studies, teaching and mentoring students in the College of Education, as well as assuming her new administrative post.

"As part of the UT Elementary School community, I have collaborated with the university to put research into practice as a demonstration teacher," Ledbetter said. "In my new role as principal, we will maintain and strengthen that model as we carry on the mission of UT Elementary School."

UT Elementary School is an exemplary-rated charter school in East Austin at 2200 E. Sixth St. It is a unit of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at The University of Texas at Austin.

—Kay Randall, University Communications, 512-232-3910

Adapted from a press release prepared by Leslie Blair, Div. of Diversity & Community Engagement, 512 232 4621, and Angela Yowell, Div. of Diversity & Community Engagement, 512-232-8139.