Project Description
Adriana Gonzalez, Fellow
Thelma Elizabeth Page Richardson Elementary
Dallas, TX
Adriana Gonzalez is the principal of Thelma Elizabeth Page Richardson Elementary, a personalized learning school in Pleasant Grove devoted to educating children by tailoring to their interests, talents, and needs. She has served the children and families of Dallas for the past 17 years. Principal Gonzalez founded Solar Preparatory School for Boys, the first all-boys public elementary school in the state of Texas. Dedicated to nurturing boys' strengths, she established Solar Boys as a school that addresses boys’ needs and ensures educational equity. Prior to Solar Prep for Boys, Gonzalez led Lenore K. Hall Elementary, DISD's Title I school in Oak Cliff, to be rated Accomplished according to Dallas ISD's Performance Framework earning all six distinctions from the Texas Education Agency. As academic coordinator, she was part of the leadership team that led Dan D. Rogers Elementary from Academically Acceptable to Exemplary status. In 2016, the Teaching Trust recognized Gonzalez as one of the leaders transforming schools and having a significant impact on student achievement. Gonzalez was selected as a case study to be featured in Leverage Leadership 2.0 and Driven by Data 2.0 by Paul Bambrick, a book highlighting schools across the country that have used practices from these books to turn around schools. Adriana was born in Mexico and raised in South Texas. She is a first-generation college graduate and holds a Master's in Education Administration from Texas A&M-Commerce as well as a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Texas in Dallas.
Gretchen Dominguez Prieto, Ally
Assistant Principal
Thelma Elizabeth Page Richardson Elementary
Dallas, TX
Gretchen Dominguez began her education journey 22 years ago. She earned a BA in Elementary School Education with an emphasis in Literature as a first generation college graduate. For the first 13 years of her teaching career, she taught Spanish/English Language Arts in Puerto Rico. In 2014, she relocated to Dallas, Texas and began teaching in John Quincy Adams Elementary, a Title 1 school in Pleasant Grove. Dominguez was an integral part of the JQA Team which helped the school earn all six distinctions from the Texas Education Agency in 2015. Her leadership roles at JQA included directing grade levels, coaching teachers, and facilitating school-wide professional development. This new leadership path motivated her to pursue a master's degree in urban school leadership from Southern Western University. As a passionate educator, she believes in the transformational power of learning and the positive influence educators and staff have on students, families, and communities. Currently, Dominguez serves as assistant principal at Thelma Elizabeth Page Richardson Elementary. A campus values education, social responsibility, and the belief that every student can reach their full potential and purpose when provided with a nurturing, challenging, and personalized learning environment.