"The irony is not lost on me as I was at the banquet to be honored for being Principal of the Year almost exactly a year ago," Neff principal Amanda Wingard said.
HOUSTON — A former Houston ISD principal of the year won't be back on campus next school year after she said she was forced to resign.
Amanda Wingard is the principal at Neff Elementary in the Sharpstown area.
"The irony is not lost on me as I was at the banquet to be honored for being Principal of the Year almost exactly a year ago," Wingard said.
Wingard started as a teacher at Neff, then spent six years as assistant principal before being promoted to principal. It's the same school she attended as a child.
Wingard said it's been a tough few days after she said she was asked to resign. She said HISD didn't give her an explanation.
"I plan to finish out the school year and am looking forward to having my 1st summer off EVER. I have loved Neff and the Sharpstown community for the last 35 years," Wingard shared. "I am at peace with whatever happens next, but am managing the different emotions."
Wingard was overcome by emotion last May when she was recognized by then-Superintendent Millard House II in a surprise celebration organized by students and fellow teachers.
“The Principal of the Year is the kind of individual who embodies all of the qualities of what it is to be a service leader, to give of themselves, to give it all for their staff and their students on a daily basis,” House said.
HISD job cuts
Outside HISD headquarters Friday, a constant stream of workers learned they too were out of work right before Mother's Day Weekend. They included teachers, custodians, maintenance workers, mechanics and other personnel.
The district isn't saying how many jobs were cut but union representatives said it could be over 1,000.
"We are looking at the dismantling of HISD in real-time. we knew that changes would be made, or needed to be made in HISD, but you don't need a hatchet when a knife will do," Jackie Anderson, Houston Federation of Teachers president told us.
RELATED: 'Throwing me out like an old pair of shoes' | Hundreds losing jobs after mass layoffs at Houston ISD
On Saturday, State Rep. Jarvis Johnson called for Superintendent Mike Miles' removal.
"You can't dismiss our top educators and staff without a fight. Parents, teachers, students, and I are all furious," Jarvis said in a statement.
In a statement earlier this week, HISD said the cuts are part of "tough budget decisions for the next academic year."
Full HISD statement
"Like most school districts in Texas and across the country, HISD is being forced to make tough budget decisions for the 2024-2025 academic year. State funding for education has not increased, and the one-time money provided by the federal government to support students during and after the pandemic is no longer available. This means HISD must right size the central office and find ways to operate more efficiently.
Many HISD departments are seeing a reduction in force, and that process has been ongoing since January. Superintendent Miles has said the District will keep cuts as far away from students and classrooms as possible and will continue to invest in our teachers and leaders. The staffing decisions being made by HISD will allow us to allocate the District’s limited resources in ways that will help ensure all students receive high-quality instruction every day.
HISD’s administrative team is actively building the proposed budget for next school year. We will have more information to share in the coming weeks. While we cannot comment on specific employees or positions being impacted by these reductions, many HISD departments are impacted. Employees whose positions are changed or eliminated will stay in them until the end of the year, and HISD will support them to find other opportunities in the District if they choose. Services to schools and students will not be disrupted."
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story indicated Wingard was part of budget cuts, but she said she wasn't given a reason.
Houston news: 2023 Principal of the Year loses job with HISD | khou.com - KHOU.com
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