After weeks of turmoil and controversy surrounding two East End schools, Houston ISD has tonight named new principals at Cage Elementary and Chrysalis Middle, which may signal improvements for the school, its students, teachers and parents. 

Both schools are New Education System-Aligned schools whose curriculum has been the subject of regular protests by parents both at their shared campus and at school board meetings — as well as protests about two teachers who early in the school year received termination notices after asking questions about the NESA program .

Dr. Dierdre Riordan, the new principal at Cage, has been a principal intern and assistant principal at Piney Point Elementary in HISD.  A press release about her appointment stated: "Before joining HISD, [she] dedicated five years to teaching and learning in the culturally rich environment of Guanajuato, Mexico. She holds a master's degree in curriculum and instructional technology, complemented by a doctoral degree in policy and leadership, from the University of Houston. She will start Monday, December 11.

Eber Perla will be the new principal at Chrysalis and holds a master’s of education in urban educational leadership from Southern Methodist University. In Dallas ISD, he worked at Pinkston High School where he "was instrumental in pioneering one of the state's first P-TECH campuses, which garnered national recognition for its success in narrowing the achievement gap among at-risk students," according to a statement from HISD. He will start December 18.

Perla also has taught in Irving ISD where he was a math teacher, coach and administrator, later moving to the positions of academic facilitator, assistant principal and college administrator.  In 2020, Perla was the Bilingual Programs lead in Irving ISD, where he helped launch a dual language program.

Central Division Superintendent Dr. Luz Martinez, who was responsible for the termination letters sent to the two Chrysalis teachers, Friday applauded the new principal appointments, saying: “We appreciate just how engaged families are at Cage Elementary School and Project Chrysalis Middle School. They care deeply about their students’ success.

"When we met with parents and caregivers, they told us they wanted strong instructional leaders. Dr. Riordan and Mr. Perla will help our students excel in the classroom and build on the great things that these schools are well known for. Both principals bring experience, expertise, and the characteristics that families told us were important to them. We know the future is bright for these schools.”

Mary Lou Walter, who had been principal over the two schools and was there when the two teachers were citied for termination, was removed from her position in early November and reassigned to a position as a "c4ross-functional team manager" in Central Division