Kelly Hestand Kelly Hestand will be principal at the new Shadow Creek High School.[/caption]

The Alvin ISD board of trustees unanimously approved the hiring of Kelly Hestand as principal for the new Shadow Creek High School at its May 12 meeting. The district's third comprehensive high school will open in August 2016.

“Opening a new school is always an exciting opportunity for any administrator to get to help develop and grow that culture from the beginning," Hestand said. "I’m just really looking forward to getting to know the community and partnering with them. I understand the high expectations that they have, and I’m in complete agreement with that.”

Hestand is the assistant superintendent for teaching and learning for Hillsboro ISD, and she is wrapping up her 23rd year in the education field.

Hestand was raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area before attending Harding University in Arkansas on a volleyball scholarship. She earned a bachelor’s in math education and went on to get her master’s in education administration from Texas Woman’s University.

“We’re excited to have her here,” AISD superintendent Buck Gilcrease said. “She has extensive teaching experience—which is one of the things we were looking for in that principal—and teaching experience in the math area. That was vital that that principal understand the instructional needs and wants of the Shadow Creek community. We’re fortunate to have her.”

AISD’s beliefs on education and the direction the district is heading attracted Hestand to the position, she said. Some of her early goals include engaging with the community.

“My goal right now is to truly commit to being the best in every aspect that that campus can be,” Hestand said. “We’re going to work to tap into what the junior highs have already started and see if we can’t build upon that in every aspect, whether it’s academics, the fine arts, [career training] or athletics. I just have high expectations for that campus and I’m going to be committed to that excellence."