LISD selects Vasquez as the new principal for Lockhart High School 

LISD

Lockhart Independent School District announced the selection of Cynthia Vasquez as the new principal of Lockhart High School. 

Vasquez joined Lockhart ISD in July 2021 as the director of Bilingual/ESL programs. As a member of the district leadership team, Vasquez has focused on unlocking the potential of teachers and leaders. She has coached principals as well as facilitated the New to Profession Academy, the new teacher mentor program, and the Instructional Leadership Academy.   

Always looking for new opportunities for Lockhart ISD to lead, Vasquez and her department, launched the first #SomosEdCamp in the state last year for bilingual and ESL instructional best practices, attracting teachers from all over Texas to learn from Lockhart ISD teachers. Due to the commitment and dedication of the bilingual department being Locked on Excellence, LISD is a 2022-2023 Texas Top 10 ESL District of the Year for the Speaking Domain. She and LISD bilingual teachers have presented at the ADELANTE Conference, sharing how the school district is leading in serving students. 

Prior to joining Lockhart ISD, Vasquez served as the principal of Uhland Elementary School in Hays Consolidated Independent school district. In her 25 years of educational experience, Vasquez has served as a classroom bilingual teacher, bilingual math interventionist, Teacher Advancement Program mentor, assistant principal, principal mentor, and principal. Because of her effective leadership, she was tapped by Hays CISD as a turnaround principal at two campuses where she decreased discipline rates to single digits and increased student growth and achievements. 

While principal of Hemphill Elementary, she led the campus from its second year of “Improvement Required” status to “Met Standard” within one year of assuming leadership, started a structured Professional Learning Community process for teachers, and implemented and monitored a Targeted Improvement Plan. Prior to that, as principal of Tom Green Elementary, she led the campus to earn STAAR distinctions in Science and Top 25% Student Progress. 

As a result of her impact on student outcomes, she was asked to open Uhland Elementary School, a brand new Title I campus serving 850 students, of which 87 percent were English Language Learners and 96 percent were considered economically disadvantaged. There, she implemented a one-way dual language bilingual program, launched an early exit bilingual program, earned a “B” campus rating, earned a STAAR distinction in Comparative Academic Growth, and started a new Parent Teacher Association (PTA) with over 90 percent participation. Her impact on staff was also evident with a staff turnover rate of less than one percent in three years. As the principal at Uhland, she presented at Region 13 on campus turnaround processes. 

In 2017, Vasquez earned the Hays CISD Ambassador Award for “Principal of the Year” as well as the district’s overall top award for excellence as the “Ambassador of the Year.” Additionally, she was selected as Semi-Finalist for the Principal H-E-B Excellence in Education Award in both 2018 and 2019. 

“These past two years I have enjoyed serving our Lions on the district leadership team and empowering our emergent bilingual students, teachers, and principals. I am honored and excited to serve as the principal at Lockhart High School and continue the work of building a legacy of excellence,” said Vasquez. “I am humbled to exemplify our district values of having a Lock Heart for People, being Locked on Excellence and UnLocking Potential alongside my Lockhart High School familia.  Additionally, I look forward to leveraging district support to inspire our administrators and staff in their important work of ensuring every student who graduates from Lockhart ISD is college, career, or military ready.” 

“Ms. Vasquez is an effective district and campus administrator. She has a demonstrated record of excellence and positive culture at every campus she has led, making her an outstanding choice to lead Lockhart High School,” shared Superintendent Mark Estrada. “Additionally, her expertise in best practices for serving bilingual students and their families will be an incredible asset to our Lions and the community.”

Vasquez went through three rounds of interviews for the position, with the first round being a committee of high school teachers, parents, and students. Vasquez will begin in her new role Tuesday, May 30, as current Lockhart High School Principal Barry Bacom rejoins the district leadership team as the director of professional development and innovative academic initiatives.

Vasquez earned a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Southwest Texas State University and a Master of Education in Educational Administration from Concordia University. She is currently enrolled in the superintendency program through Region 13’s Education Service Center to earn her superintendent certification.