Theme: The Principal Matters

Public schools must be innovative places of learning. The innovation begins with the Principal. The Principal through leadership restructures the school environment. This restructuring results in the transformation of the school, students, community, and local education.
Meet the innovative Principals who transformed their schools, students, community and local education.

Heinen Theater
3517 Austin Street
Houston, Texas, 77004
United States

Everett Hare

Principal of Worthing Early College High School

Everett Hare Sr is Principal at Worthing Early College High and International Baccalaureate School. His 17-year HISD career includes third-grade teacher, Instructional Specialist, Assistant Principal and Principal. As Principal he transformed Mamie Sue Bastian Elementary from multi-year IR campus to successive years of meeting state standards and achievement with distinction designations. Principal Hare has led Worthing to content areas’ growth, CCMR, and expanded campus programs. He earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and is completing his doctoral degree. Mr. Hare is Past-President of Houston Association of School Administrators and liaison leader for Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators. Mr. Hare is Education Chairman for the 100 Black Men of Houston Metropolitan Area. Hare received the Emily Evans Scott Award for Outstanding Third Grade Teacher, HAABSE Teacher of the Year, Campus Teacher of the Year, and Principals’ Excellence in Leadership Awards.

Khalilah Campbell-Rhone

Assistant Superintendent of Transformation

Dr. Khalilah Campbell-Rhone is HISD Assistant Superintendent of Transformation. She leads 24 of the highest-need campuses to ensure equitable opportunities and resources for disenfranchised students to receive an exceptional education. A native Houstonian, author, and career educator, she earned her master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Houston and served as adjunct professor. As Worthing High School Principal in 2017 Khalilah met all accountability measures in 1 year, established the Early College Campus, and initiated the International Baccalaureate school plan. HISD named Campbell-Rhone 2019 Principal of the Year. As Officer of Special Populations she oversaw significant growth and development in Gifted and Talented, Special Education, Dyslexia, Interventions and Multilingual, On-Time Grad Academy, and Virtual Learning. As Dean of Instruction she transformed one of the first low performance district high schools and worked in Achieve 180 and superintendent’s schools.

Marie Moreno

Educator and Consultant

Dr. Marie D. Moreno is a long-time educator advocating and supporting newly arrived immigrant and refugee families from around the world. As the former founding principal of a newcomer school in Houston, Texas, her mission is to design schools to support and acculturate newcomer students – especially those who have gaps in their education and have experienced trauma. Her 26 years of experience in education have fueled her to be passionate about the most at-risk students in Houston. She is a servant leader and devotes herself to learning more about refugee experiences by traveling to the Kyangwali Refugee Resettlement camp in Uganda, schools in Kenya, and remote villages in Guatemala. Marie has a Doctorate in Education in Ethical Leadership from University of St. Thomas-Houston. She is a 2022 Time.com Innovative Educator recipient and the CEO of Newcomer Success LLC, a consulting firm to support school districts, educators, and administrators on best practices for immigrant newcomers.