Two Houston Independent School District principals received surprise news Monday from Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan that they are the 2020 HISD Elementary and Secondary Principals of the Year.

Principal Zandra Aguilar at Eliot Elementary School was named Elementary Principal of the Year, and Principal Carlos Phillips at Washington High School was named Secondary Principal of the Year. They received the news during assemblies on their campuses that were attended by cheering students, staff, district administrators and family members.

At the assembly, immediately after Lathan informed him that he is HISD’s 2020 Secondary Principal of the Year, Phillips also learned that he is a finalist in HEB’s annual Excellence in Education Awards competition. Phillips will now compete with nine of his peers from across the state to win HEB’s top principal award, which will be announced in May.

“This is a banner day for Principal Phillips,” Lathan said. “I’m very proud of him and Principal Aguilar. These two campus leaders inspire excellence within their school communities, and they exemplify what it means to be academically, socially, and emotionally innovative to meet our children’s diverse needs.”

Phillips has been principal at Washington High School and the High School for Engineering Professions since 2015. He has been an educator for 20 years, serving as a special education teacher, disciplinary alternative education teacher and assistant principal. Phillips holds a doctoral degree in education leadership and cultural studies from the University of Houston. Washington High School is in its 126th year of academic service. The north Houston campus has received acclaim for its drone and rocketry programs, which engage students in engineering, coding and construction of the air and space crafts.

“We have come a long way on our campus, and we will keep pushing the envelope to reach even greater heights,” Phillips said. “Receiving these awards is unbelievable. I want to thank my students and staff for always working exceptionally hard. I love this school.”

Aguilar has been principal at Eliot Elementary School since 2010. She has a master’s degree in Business Administration from Sam Houston State University. Her Denver Harbor elementary campus has become an A-rated HISD school with a strong Gifted and Talented program, was designated an Exemplary School and received a Gold Achievement Award in math and science in 2010 by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Recently, Eliot Elementary also earned every academic distinction offered by the TEA, and it has been designated a Lighthouse School for outstanding results in campus and student outcomes by the Leader in Me evidence-based school improvement model.

“My entire team deserves this award because we work hard daily to make sure the children on our campus have the resources they need to succeed, everything from a hug, to shoes and clothing in some cases, to extra academic supports,” Aguilar said. “I am so grateful to the staff, students, my husband and children, and the entire community for this honor because I could not have done it without them.”