La Porte ISD has announced two new principals for the 2011-2012 school year.  Camilla Whitlock will be the new principal at Baker Sixth Grade Campus, and Deon Williams will be the new principal at Rizzuto Elementary School.

"We were very pleased to announce the selection of Mrs. Whitlock and Mrs. Williams as our district's new principals at the June 14 meeting of our Board of Trustees," said Lloyd W. Graham, LPISD superintendent of schools.  "Both have been respected educators in our district for many years, and they are devoted to the needs of La Porte ISD students and their families."

  Whitlock, who has been the assistant principal at Baker this past year, has 10 years of experience as a campus administrator in LPISD.  She joined the district as an assistant principal for both Lomax and College Park elementary schools and remained the assistant principal at College Park for five years.

  She then moved to Bayshore Elementary School, where she served as assistant principal for two years and was housed at Rizzuto Elementary with two grade levels of Bayshore students following Hurricane Ike.  She was then named assistant principal at Rizzuto, where she served for two years before moving to Baker.

  Whitlock began her career in Pasadena ISD, where she taught at Atkinson Elementary School for 12 years.

  She is a graduate of PISD's Dobie High School.  She earned her associate degree at San Jacinto College South and her bachelor's degree in elementary education at University of Houston-Clear Lake.  She also earned her master's degree in educational management at UH-Clear Lake.

  Whitlock and her husband, Gary, a graduate of La Porte High School, have two children-Alissa, 16, and Brandon, 12.  In addition to working with students, she enjoys attending her children's sports activities.

"I am very excited to be the new Baker principal," Whitlock said.  "Baker is a great place with an outstanding staff that is dedicated to helping students make the transition from elementary to junior high.  I look forward to continuing our journey with great success."

  Williams, who has served as assistant principal at Bayshore Elementary for the past two years, began her educational career in La Porte schools.  After student teaching at Baker, she was hired at Lomax Elementary, where she taught math, science and writing.

  After several years at Lomax, Williams served as the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) specialist for Lomax and College Park elementary schools and instructional technology specialist for Lomax.  She was then named assistant principal at College Park, where she served for three years, before moving to Bayshore.

  Williams attended LPISD schools, including Baker Elementary, Baker Junior High and LPHS, and graduated from high school in Ohio.  She earned her bachelor's degree in education and master's degree in mid-management from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

  She and her husband, Neal, have three sons-Sean, Cody and Austin-as well as a grandson, Taylor.  Cody is a 2011 graduate of LPHS, and Austin will be a junior at LPHS next year.  She and her family enjoy a number of outdoor activities in their spare time.

"It is my honor and privilege to join the Rizzuto family," Williams said. "I appreciate the opportunity to serve our students, parents and community as the principal of Rizzuto Elementary and look forward to an outstanding 2011-2012 school year.  Go Rockets!"