(EL PASO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT – Jan. 13, 2023) – El Paso ISD this week named new principals at Canyon Hills Middle School and Zavala Elementary School.

The appointees are:

• Bertha Martinez, who has been principal of Lamar Elementary School since 2006, was promoted to principal of Canyon Hills Middle School. Under Martinez’s leadership, Lamar earned two National Blue Ribbon School designations in 2015 and 2021. Martinez also serves as principal of Project About Face. Before her time at Lamar, she was an assistant principal at Hart and Burnet elementary schools and a teacher at Stanton Elementary School. She has a bachelor of business in administration degree and a master of education degree from UTEP.

• Jesus Mendoza, assistant principal at Herrera Elementary School, was promoted to principal at Zavala Elementary School. He also has been a testing coordinator, ESL district testing coordinator, dyslexia therapist, special education teacher and bilingual teacher. He began his career in education in 2010 in Midland ISD. Mendoza has a bachelor of law degree from the University of Juárez, Mexico, and a master of arts in educational leadership from the University of Texas Permian Basin.