(EL PASO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT — July 3, 2025) — El Paso ISD is proud to announce the appointment of Pauletta Howard as the new principal of Whitaker Elementary School. Howard officially began her new role on July 1, 2025.
With more than 20 years of educational leadership experience, Howard brings a wealth of knowledge, skill, and vision to the Whitaker campus. Her career spans a variety of roles including principal, assistant principal, and middle school science teacher—all of which have shaped her into the strong instructional leader she is today.
Most recently, Howard served as principal of Newman Elementary School, where she implemented a successful mentorship model through the UTEP teacher residency program and led the campus as an Opportunity Culture site using the Active Learning Framework. Under her leadership, Newman Elementary was named a catalyst campus and co-presented at the 2020 TASA Midwinter Conference on innovation in school improvement.
Howard has also served as principal of Terrace Hills Middle School and assistant principal of Bassett Middle School, where she championed instructional leadership, teacher mentorship, and master scheduling. Earlier in her career, she was a staff developer through a UTEP-led partnership and a middle school science teacher, earning recognition for her active, inquiry-based instruction and campus leadership roles.
She holds a Master of Education in Educational Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Oakwood University.
El Paso ISD welcomes Principal Pauletta Howard to Whitaker Elementary and looks forward to the continued growth and success she will bring to the campus.