Mina Naranjo

Tyler ISD has announced leadership changes, including a new principal for Tyler Legacy High School.

Geoffrey Sherman has been named the new principal of Tyler Legacy High School.

Sherman replaces Dr. Walls, who served as principal for the 2021-2022 school year. Walls will become the new director of Career Technology Education.

“It has been a blessing to serve as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal in Tyler ISD,” Sherman said. “As a Tyler native, it is an honor to be appointed the principal of Tyler Legacy. I look forward to working with Legacy’s wonderful students, teachers, and parents. Go Red Raiders!”

Sherman has been the principal at Hubbard Middle School since 2018. He also served as the West Side Elementary School principal in Jacksonville ISD and an assistant principal at Jones Elementary School in Tyler ISD. He also taught at Hogg Middle School.

“We’re excited to see Mr. Sherman ascend to lead Tyler Legacy High School,” Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford said. “An experienced principal, he’s had a solid run as principal at Hubbard Middle School and, before that, in Jacksonville ISD.

“Mr. Sherman is an East Texas guy and grew up in Tyler. He understands the task he’s been charged with in leading one of East Texas’ flagship high schools and the expectations that go along with it: prioritizing high levels of academic achievement; a remarkable, safe, and secure student experience; a welcoming parent front porch; and keeping a staff compass pointed toward successful student outcomes.”

Sherman’s replacement at Hubbard Middle School will be announced in the coming weeks.

Walls replaced former Legacy principal Dan Crawford, who resigned June 4, 2021 after he was arrested for cocaine possession at his home, which is within 1,000 feet of a drug-free zone. In September, Crawford was sentenced to three years’ deferred adjudication after he pleaded guilty.

Crawford worked at Tyler Legacy since 2016.

“Likewise, we appreciate Dr. Walls stepping in when we needed her in an emergency fashion, especially coming off the 2020-21 school year that still saw remnants of the pandemic and the behaviors that spawned from it,” Crawford said. “She took the assignment at the district’s behest without hesitation and led admirably in typical fashion. In the future, Dr. Walls will work alongside Executive Director of College and Career Gary Brown as Director of Career Technology Education to help continue the gains we’ve seen in that realm.”

Other leadership changes were also announced Friday.

“We are excited about these new placements for the 2022-2023 school year,” Crawford said. “Our goal is to put proven leaders into positions where they can have the most impact. Tyler ISD is fortunate to have an established leadership pipeline, giving us the ability to promote great educators from within.”

The changes include:

Mina Naranjo, Birdwell Dual Language Immersion School – Mina Naranjo was most recently the principal at Ramey Elementary School. Ms. Naranjo has a long history with Tyler ISD. She served as the Dean of Instruction at Tyler High School from 2017 to 2019. Naranjo was the Director of Bilingual/ESL Programs from 2012 to 2017, coordinator of Bilingual/ESL programs from 2009 to 2012, and an ESL Secondary Cognitive Coach from 2008 to 2009. Naranjo has 18 years in education.

Justin Simmons, Boulter Middle School – Justin Simmons was most recently the principal at Hogg Middle School. He has also served as an assistant principal at Tyler High School from 2017 to 2021 and was a social studies teacher and coach at Boulter Middle School and the former Stewart Middle School from 2014 to 2017. Simmons has nine years in education.

Rachel Sherman, Three Lakes Middle School – Rachel Sherman was previously the principal at Owens Elementary school since 2019. Before that, she was an elementary principal at the dual-language campus in Jacksonville from 2015 to 2019 and an elementary principal at Center ISD from 2013 to 2015. Sherman began her administrative career in 2012 as an assistant principal in Center ISD. Sherman has 14 years in education.

Vanessa Holmes, Senior Director of Title I – Vanessa Holmes was most recently the principal at Boulter Middle School. She was also an Executive Director of School Improvement from 2019 to 2020 and the Director of Career and Technology from 2018 to 2019. Holmes was the principal of Dogan Middle School from 2015 to 2018. She was also an assistant principal at John Tyler High School from 2008 to 2015 and a GEAR-UP Coordinator from 2007 to 2008. She was also a GEAR-UP teacher and coordinator at Boulter Middle School from 2004 to 2007. Holmes has 19 years in education.