Superintendent Ken Gregorski this week appointed Kara Morgan as the new principal of Bethke Elementary School and Lisa Frison as the new leader for Winborn Elementary School, according to a press release from the district. Both educators have more than 20 years of experience in education and are familiar faces within Katy ISD.
Morgan has educated students of all levels and demographics ranging from third through 12th grades, the release said. She began her career in education in 2001 at Sutton Elementary School at Houston ISD where she was a team leader for fifth graders in addition to facilitating English as a Second Language interventions for third through fifth graders.
Morgan later went on to teach sixth graders in Fort Bend ISD in 2006. In 2007, she moved into administration to serve as assistant principal at First Colony Middle School and then associate principal at Bowie Middle School and Sugar Land Middle School.
She joined KISD in 2017 as an assistant principal at Tompkins High School, the release said. Most recently, Morgan was given the opportunity to establish a new campus at KISD in 2020 when she opened Jordan High School as the sophomore assistant principal.
Morgan holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Houston and a Master of Science in educational management from the University of Houston in Clear Lake.
“I would like to express how much of an honor it is to become a part of the Bethke family of educators and community members,” Morgan said in the release. “My passion has always been working with students in their young transition years and growing their knowledge base with life experiences and a solid foundation. It is already evident to me that Bethke is a very special place to be, and I look forward to continuing our partnerships."
Frison has 27 years of teaching and leading experience, 15 of which have been with KISD, the release said. Her passion for teaching students began in 1994 when she joined Blue Valley Unified School District in the Kansas City metropolitan area, as a sixth-grade math teacher. Two years later she moved to Texas and worked as a third-grade and a fifth-grade teacher at Hunters Creek Elementary School in Spring Branch ISD.
In 2006, Frison joined KISD at Griffin Elementary School where she spearheaded multiple roles, including instructional coordinator, instructional coach, math liaison and fourth- and fifth-grade math and science teacher. In 2016 she moved to Beck Junior High School as the school’s new assistant principal.
Frison later joined Adams Junior High School as the campus's assistant principal where she assisted in the hiring process, the school's logo and branding initiative, and the opening of the newest campus in KISD. Frison holds a Bachelor of Science in education from the University of Kansas and a Master of Science in educational management with principal certification from the University of Houston in Clear Lake.
“Being named Principal of Winborn Elementary is the highlight of my career,” Frison said in the release. “I am excited to collaborate with staff, students and parents as we continue to support the legacy of excellence in the Winborn community.”
Both educators will begin their roles as principals this summer in preparation for the upcoming 2021-22 school year.
