HOUSTON – Teachers tell KPRC 2 that two administrators at Houston ISD’s Harvard Elementary School were seen being escorted from the campus with their belongings Thursday.
The two administrators, Assistant Principal Dr. Alejandra Perez and Magnet Coordinator Daisha Huntley, are reportedly being assigned to other campuses, according to a notice the district sent to parents.
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In the notice, HISD says the school will be led by a new leadership team starting Friday.
“District leadership believes this change is in the fundamental best interest of Harvard Elementary students and your school community,” the notice says.
Dr. Perez was brought in after Principal Dr. Shelby Calabrese was put on leave in early October. that move was controversial, leading to concerns from parents who supported Calabrese.
The notice Thursday says Calabrese has been recommended for termination.
“The details of why will not be disclosed as this information is protected by law,” the notice said.
The notice also announced the new principal and assistant principal selected to the school.
New principal; Sharon Pe Benito
Sharon Pe Benito has been selected as the Principal for Harvard Elementary School. She has 25 years of experience in education. She has worked in a variety of teaching and leadership roles across the Philippines, Japan, and Texas. She began her career as an early childhood teacher and has taught and lead in elementary, middle, and high school. Her diverse experiences profoundly shaped her educational philosophy and her unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive, student-centered learning environment that equips students to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. Having worked in different cultural contexts, she’s seen firsthand how education can connect people across borders and expand students’ worldviews. This international perspective aligns perfectly with her passion for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP). The PYP’s focus on inquiry-based learning, global-mindedness, and developing well-rounded, compassionate individuals resonates with her belief that education should not only focus on academic achievement, but also on shaping students to be active, thoughtful contributors to the world. Ms. Pe Benito was named as the 2020-2021 Secondary Teacher of The Year for the Houston Independent School District East Division. Mostly recently, she served as the principal apprentice at Briargrove Elementary.
New assistant principal: Molly Lashway
Molly Lashway has been selected as the Assistant Principal at Harvard Elementary School. She began her educational career at HISD’s Walnut Bend Elementary as a 5th grade ELA/SS teacher in 2014. She spent eight years in the classroom, teaching students in 2nd through 5th grade in both self-contained and ELA departmentalized classrooms. For the last three years, Lashway has served as the Assistant Principal at Memorial Elementary School where she supported the school through the IB authorization process and most recently served as the IB coordinator. Lashway supports teachers and staff in ensuring that high-quality instruction is being provided from the framework of the IB PYP program.
You can read the full notice from HISD below:
Dear Harvard Elementary School Families,
I am writing to let you know that effective tomorrow, Harvard Elementary School will be led by a new leadership team. District leadership believes this change is in the fundamental best interest of Harvard Elementary students and your school community.
Dr. Calabrese has been recommended for termination, and the details of why will not be disclosed as this information is protected by law. Assistant Principal Dr. Alejandra Perez and Magnet Coordinator Daisha Huntley will be assigned to other campuses. When at all possible, we engage the campus community to build a principal profile to inform the hiring process, however, as stated in Regulation DP2, when District leadership determines it is in the best interest of the school community, a principal selection can be made swiftly at the discretion of the Division Superintendent and District Superintendent. In this case, HISD leadership decided that speeding up the installation of new leadership was necessary to minimize the disruptions for students, teachers, and families during the academic year and set the Harvard Elementary School community up to move forward.
Ensuring Harvard Elementary School has a leadership team committed to ensuring every student receives high-quality IB instruction each day and that teachers are supported to ensure all learners excel is the top priority. When interviewing candidates for the Principal and Assistant Principal roles, these criteria were prioritized:
- Deep understanding of High-Quality Instruction
- Rich experience with IB Framework and IB Learning environments
- Strong track record of strong professional judgement
- Strong communications skills
- Strength in building relationships with parents and students
- Commitment to developing the whole child
- Desire to be part of a robust active school community
I am excited to announce that Sharon Pe Benito has been selected as the new Principal and Molly Lashway as the new Assistant Principal. These leaders bring a wealth of experience to the helm of Harvard Elementary School, and we believe they will be an excellent fit your school community. They are both excited to get to know you and your children. The new administrative team will finalize the interview and appointment of the new magnet coordinator within the next few weeks. Alberto Fernandez will be assisting the school magnet coordination responsibilities until the new magnet coordinator is hired.
Please stop by Harvard Elementary School to meet them on Wednesday, November 13th between 5:30 and 6:30 pm.