EMELINE CARPENTER
WELCOMES NEW PRINCIPALS
Nacogdoches ISD introduces a new approach to education at
Carpenter Elementary for the 2015-16 school year. The campus
is being divided into two schools which will allow for more
concentrated leadership for both.
The campus designated for the younger students will remain
Carpenter Elementary and will house approximately 374
students from Pre-K through second grades. It also will uphold
the state-set student-teacher ratio of 22 to 1. Carpenter
Intermediate School, the new addition to the campus, will
support about 200 students in third through fifth grades, with a
lower 16-to-1 student-teacher ratio.
“We are ready and excited for this coming school year,” said the
new Carpenter Elementary principal Roxanne Lathan.
Lathan said her focus for the elementary levels will be
developing student foundations in reading, writing and math
to prepare them for future grades. She also plans to work with
her faculty, staff and students to increase campus morale.
James Adams will
step in as principal
for Carpenter
Intermediate
School. Adams said
his main focus is to
build a community
of learning that is
safe and inviting to
all of the kids.
Both Adams
and Lathan
said they built
a good working
relationship and a
strong friendship
that will benefit
their roles.
To achieve this
more comfortable
learning
environment, Adams wants to build teacher retention.
Maintaining steady staffing will create a campus that operates
more smoothly and will steadily raise performance levels
among the students and staff.
Carpenter’s two new principals both served as assistant
principals at McMichael Middle School last school year. Both
Adams and Lathan said they built a good working relationship
and a strong friendship that will benefit their roles at the newly
structured campus.
Cooperatively, the pair will determine how to share the budget
and conquer other challenges that include the district’s three
consecutive years of being an Improvement Required (IR) rated
campus.
8
Roxanne Lathan
Principal of Carpenter Elementary
• Birthplace: Houston, Texas
• High School: Nacogdoches
High School
• College/University: University
of Texas at Dallas
• Master’s: University of Phoenix
• Other Education: Currently
working toward a Superintendent
Certification at Stephen F. Austin
State University
• Family: Husband, Michael
Latham, is a retired DPS Highway
Patrol Captain; Two Daughters,
Crystal Lathan, 27, and Erica
Lathan, 23. Member of Star of
Hope Baptist Church.
• Years of Education Experience: 11; nine years for Garland ISD at
Toler Elementary and two years as principal, for Nacogdoches ISD
at Thomas J. Rusk Elementary; and one year as assistant principal at
McMichael Middle School
• Other Information: Before pursuing a career in education, Lathan
worked for the DPS in Houston in the late 1980s and Nacogdoches
Driver License division during the early 1990s. Then as a substitute
teacher for NISD in 1990s and Mesquite ISD in the early 2000s.
James Adams
Principal of Carpenter Intermediate
• Birthplace: Jasper, Texas
• High School: Jasper High School
• College/University: Stephen F.
Austin State University
• Other Education:
Superintendent Certification
• Family: Wife, Lee-Etta Adams,
PK-2 Math Interventionist at
Carpenter Elementary; three
children: two girls DeLayna N.
Adams, 8, Daizya N. Adams, 17
and one boy, Jeremiah C. Adams,
4.
• Years of Education Experience:
11; Physical Education (PE) Aide,
Math Lab Instructor, sixth-grade math teacher, girls athletic coach, PE
boys coach and Assistant Principal at McMichael
• Other Information: Previously worked at Stephen F. Austin State
University Registrars Office as a bus driver safety supervisor and for
Nacogdoches ISD as operations manager for southwest student
transportation. Also has been employed at the Nacogdoches County
Sheriff’s office.