Lockhart ISD selects Amanda Epsztein as the new principal for Navarro Elementary

LISD

Lockhart Independent School District announced the selection of Amanda Epsztein as the new principal of Navarro Elementary School on Thursday.

Epsztein joins Lockhart ISD with over 17 years of educational experience. Most recently, Epsztein served as the Assistant Principal at Cedar Creek Elementary in Bastrop Independent School District. As Assistant Principal, she spearheaded the establishment of an attendance initiative resulting in improved student attendance, helped develop exceptional curriculum instruction strategies, offered instructional strategy guidance to educators, and facilitated additional initiatives to enhance educational outcomes.

Epsztein also brings experience in special education and behavioral intervention. She served as SPED and RTI Behavior Coach/Interventionist for Baty Elementary in Del Valle ISD. In this role, she led Special Education and Response to Intervention student success teams, created individualized plans for students, coached school staff to encourage various strategies for behavior and classroom management, and consistently used data to drive planning and decision making.

Epsztein also brings expertise as a grade-level leader at Baty Elementary, where she actively participated in the school leadership team, organized and executed family engagement activities, and played a pivotal role in various other initiatives.

Epsztein began her career in education as a teacher at Balsz School District in Phoenix, Arizona in 2007. She later served as an Impact/Response to Intervention Teacher in National City School District in National City, California. From 2010 to 2017, she served as a second, third, fourth, and fifth grade teacher in Del Valle ISD.

Epsztein’s commitment to excellence earned her the title of Teacher of the Year in 2013. She also earned a spot as a semi-finalist for the coveted H-E-B Excellence in Education awards in 2019.

Epsztein has demonstrated a commitment to unlocking her potential as a leader through various professional development opportunities. She earned a behavior coach endorsement, a T-TESS Appraiser certification, and is a trained ARD Facilitator and 504 Coordinator. She has also shared her knowledge with other educators as a presenter at Region 13’s Behave Conference and through the Heart of Texas Writing Project.

“I am thrilled to step into the role of principal at Navarro Elementary,” Epsztein said. “Every child deserves a nurturing environment where they can thrive academically and personally. I am excited to work alongside the dedicated staff and families of Navarro to ensure that every student can unlock their potential.”

“We are delighted to announce Amanda Epsztein as the new principal of Navarro Elementary,” Superintendent Mark Estrada said. “Her extensive experience, demonstrated leadership skills, and strong track record of driving positive change in schools make her an invaluable addition to Lockhart ISD. We are confident that under her guidance, Navarro Elementary will continue to be locked on excellence.”

Current Navarro Principal Adam Miller will join the district leadership team as Director of School Safety and Communications.

Epsztein earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Arizona and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Concordia University. She has earned multiple educational certifications, including EC-12 Principal, EC-12 Special Education, EC-6 Generalist, and ESL EC-6 Generalist.