Dear Glen Forest Community,

The Region 2 Office is pleased to announce that Ms. Diane (Dee Dee) Herndon-Wilson, current Assistant Principal at Lowes Island Elementary School (Loudoun County Public Schools), has been named the new principal of Glen Forest Elementary School.  Her official start date will be March 22, 2021. 

Ms. Herndon-Wilson has served as an assistant principal and as an administrative intern for the past 11 years at Frederick Douglass ES and then at Lowes Island ES in Loudoun County.  During her tenure as an assistant principal, Ms. Herndon-Wilson has supervised special education programs, ESOL programs, as well as advanced academic programs in grades K-6.  Ms. Herndon-Wilson is highly prepared to support the current academic programs at Glen Forest.

As a former elementary school teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools, Dee Dee has been able to support academic needs in the areas of literacy and numeracy. She has been with Loudoun County Public Schools since 2010; she started as an administrative intern and then became an assistant principal of two different elementary schools. In addition, Ms. Herndon-Wilson has monitored instructional programs that focused on deeper learning. She has analyzed school-wide data and created multi-tiered systems of support to ensure equitable outcomes for all students.  Ms. Herndon-Wilson’s vast experiences at Frederick Douglass ES, a Title 1 eligible school, and at Lowes Island ES have prepared her to lead a school where a large percentage of students are English Language Learners. At Frederick Douglass, Dee Dee monitored at-risk students through reviews of student assessment data. She has also facilitated Collaborative Learning Team meetings with the purpose of examining student data and adjusting the instructional programming accordingly. 

Ms. Herndon-Wilson values and recognizes the importance of a Professional Learning Community culture. During her tenures as an assistant principal, she has played a key role in the development, implementation, and evaluation of high-performing collaborative teams.  She was able to apply and model effective team practices by empowering teachers and by developing collective capacity among members of the faculty and staff at both Frederick Douglass and at Lowes Island ES. These collaborative teams allowed her schools the opportunity to implement Local Level IV, Special Education programs, and ELL programs, to meet the many needs of the current student populations, including students who live in poverty.

Ms. Herndon-Wilson has a proven track record of fostering a welcoming culture that values diversity and inclusion for all students. She is a positive person who believes in the development of an inclusive culture for all; she has participated in programs such as Parents as Educational Partners (PEP) to help educate families about the intricacies of the American educational system. She is a very visible leader, always looking for ways to support and serve the school community; she has a positive attitude toward the resolution of problems. Ms. Herndon-Wilson can build trust and inspire credibility at the elementary level.

Ms. Herndon-Wilson’s experiences, proven track record of success, and inclusive and respectful approach make her an ideal match for the Glen Forest school community. Ms. Herndon-Wilson has a warm, caring, and friendly approach that will be an asset as she steps into the principal role at Glen Forest Elementary.

Ms. Herndon-Wilson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Radford University.  She has also attained a Master of Education degree in Education Leadership from George Mason University.     

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Herndon-Wilson as the new principal of Glen Forest Elementary School.

Sincerely,

Fabio Zuluaga, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent, Region 2