Socorro Independent School District assistant principals Erica Olivas and Luz Daniela Palmer were selected to represent the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP) as Region 19 Outstanding Assistant Principals of the Year.
TASSP recognizes outstanding principals and assistant principals from the state's twenty regional education service centers each year. School administrators were nominated and chosen by their peers within their regions. Nominations were based on exemplary performance and outstanding leadership.
Olivas is an assistant principal at Socorro High School. She began teaching at Socorro ISD in 2007. Olivas has a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at El Paso and a master's degree in education from Sul Ross State University.
"First and foremost, it was an unexpected surprise to be recognized and named at this level of my career” Olivas said. “The nomination itself validated the continuous effort that we are making in raising teacher capacity and student growth. I am both humbled and honored to represent Socorro High School and Region 19."
Palmer has been an assistant principal at Col. John O. Ensor Middle School for three years. She earned a bachelor's degree in multidisciplinary studies and a Master of Education degree from the University of Texas at El Paso. Palmer is currently the southwest regional director for the Texas Council of Teachers of Mathematics (TCTM) and TCTM board member for the Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching.
“Receiving the TASSP Outstanding Middle School Assistant Principal Award is a big honor, and I am very grateful that my colleagues would even consider me for this award,” Palmer said. “Because I don't feel like I do enough, I feel that I can always do better. And I will continue to work hard for our community.”
Regional winners will be recognized during the Jostens Night of the Stars Awards Dinner in conjunction with the TASSP Summer Workshop held in June 2024 in Austin. Each will be presented with an award and recognized in a commemorative book titled, “Texas Principals, Texas Heroes.”