At the Monday, March 5, regular meeting of the Board, FISD trustees approved the hiring of four new principals and a coordinator of guidance, counseling and assessment.

Donnie Wiseman has been named to lead the team at Pat and Catherine Fowler Middle School, which is located on McDermott Road in Plano. Wiseman has been with FISD since 2001; he began as an assistant principal at Staley and then Pioneer Heritage Middle Schools and has most recently been serving as coordinator of secondary math and science. He began his education career as a middle school science teacher in 1997 and has his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Wayland Baptist.

James Iorio has been hired as the principal of Robertson Elementary, located in Sunset Pointe in Little Elm. Iorio is currently an assistant principal in Irving ISD. He began his career as a first grade teacher in 1997 and earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Dallas and his master’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Melissa Colbert has been named principal of Reba Cobb Carroll Elementary School, located off Legacy and Throne Hall in Frisco. Colbert is currently assistant principal at Pink Elementary School and came to FISD in 2005 from Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, where she began her career as an elementary teacher in 1996. Her bachelor’s and master’s degrees are from the University of North Texas.

Michele Lott has been named the principal of Charlie and Charlotte Mooneyham Elementary School, located on Eden Drive in McKinney. Lott is currently assistant principal at Shawnee Trail Elementary. She joined FISD in 1999 as a teacher at Christie Elementary. Prior to that, she taught elementary school in the Richardson and Cypress Fairbanks ISDs. She began teaching in 1993 after obtaining her bachelor’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University. Her master’s degree is from the University of Phoenix.

Brenda Russell has been hired as the district’s first coordinator of Guidance, Counseling and Assessment. Russell is currently a counselor at the Student Opportunity Center, where she also coordinates the Credit Recovery and GED programs. She began her career in 1991 as a high school computer/business teacher. Russell became a counselor in 1998, serving in S&S Consolidated ISD and then in Lewisville ISD, where she also gained testing coordination experience. Her bachelor’s degree is from the University of North Texas and her master’s degree and counseling and principal certifications are from TWU.

“We are extremely proud that these fine educators have chosen to join FISD in these critical leadership positions,” Rick Reedy, Superintendent of Schools, said. “We are fortunate to be able to choose from a vast pool of quality candidates and these leaders certainly rose to the top in the hiring process. I am excited about the coming school year.”