Montwood Middle School's principal, Dr. Melissa Saenz, has been selected as one of five finalists in Texas for the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards. The surprise announcement was made during a pep rally at the school on March 3. This honor recognizes exceptional educators across Texas for their leadership, innovation and commitment to students.
“I am so thankful for all of the support that I've had in this particular position,” said Saenz, who has been the school’s principal for seven years. “Thank you to H-E-B for recognizing educators and the hard work that educators do across the state. You know, a principal is nothing without the students who build the classroom, the teachers who teach them on a daily basis, in and out, the cafeteria staff, custodians, instructional aides, and our front office staff. Everybody plays a part in the role of what we do in education. And I am blessed to be able to serve each and every single one of you.”
Jill Reynolds, H-E-B public affairs manager, presented Dr. Saenz with the news, along with a check for $1,000 for her use and $2,500 for the school.
“So, we asked her to complete an application, and her application went through several judging panels, and they determined that she is an outstanding principal and that she's done some wonderful things here on the campus. So, you've done an outstanding job,” Reynolds said during the presentation.
During Dr. Saenz’s tenure as principal, the school has earned an A rating from the Texas Education Agency. Additionally, it was recognized as one of the top-performing schools by Children at Risk in their 2024-25 Texas School Rankings. In 2024, Montwood Middle School was named a Texas School to Watch by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform and the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals. For the past three years, the school has also been honored by the Council on Regional Economic Expansion and Educational Development (CREEED) as one of the top five schools in the region for algebra performance on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Algebra I exam.
Carlos Guerra, SISD assistant superintendent of secondary education, said the dedication Dr. Saenz has shown to ensure student success is marked by her commitment and, most importantly, has yielded results.
“The opportunity to surprise Dr. Saenz with the recognition as a finalist for H-E-B Principal of the Year is a huge deal … this is a testament to the many hours of hard work she puts in, and, most importantly, the success her students and staff are achieving,” Guerra said.
Eric Palomares, a science teacher and Elite 8 Teacher of the Year finalist, said a reason for Dr. Saenz’s success is due to her encouraging her students and teachers to reach their full potential.
“Dr. Saenz is a leader for not only us as educators, but also the students here on our campus. She's gone on to get her doctoral degree, and she always pushes us as staff and students to go above and beyond,” Palomares said.
Mikaila Romero, an 8th grader and student class president, said that Dr. Saenz is a great principal because she cares about her students' needs and builds strong relationships with them.
“I really like having Dr. Saenz as a principal because she really supports academic and emotional growth. She's always there, like whenever anyone needs to talk to her. She does like fun activities. She tries to get us as many assemblies, and dances and pep rallies as we can. And she really supports us when we're about to go do our testing, especially the STAAR testing, since we take that really seriously. And she is also always there to talk.”
The two winning principals—one from an elementary school and one from a secondary school—will receive $10,000 in cash for themselves in addition to a $25,000 grant for their schools. A panel of judges, consisting of educators, administrators, and community leaders from across the state, will select the winners. The winners will be announced during the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards ceremony on May 3.
Montwood Middle H‑E‑B Excellence in Education Finalist event photos