Dear West Woodland families and staff,

I am pleased to announce Dr. Cornetta Mendoza has been selected as the acting principal of West Woodland Elementary for the 2024-25 school year. Principal Mendoza’s tenure at West Woodland has already begun, and she is looking forward to engaging with students, families, and staff!

Dr. Mendoza is an experienced educator and has served in roles from Pre-K through the university level. Most recently, she served as interim principal of Kimball Elementary.

Principal Mendoza has endeared herself to her school communities through her generous and collaborative spirit and her focus on ensuring all children are affirmed, supported, and loved. She has developed systems and structures that have helped her schools thrive and was selected for this role based on her commitment to equity and access, student-centeredness, relationship-building, and her expertise as an instructional leader.

SPS will begin the search for a permanent West Woodland principal later this school year. At that time, SPS will share next steps with the community.  Read more about the SPS school leader hiring process on our website. Until then, I am confident Dr. Mendoza’s dedication to collaborative problem solving and her commitment to high quality learning experiences will continue to support and guide the school community.

I also want to thank Principal Vancil for his leadership and service to the West Woodland community.

Please join me in welcoming Principal Mendoza!

Sincerely,  

Dr. Brent Jones
Superintendent 
Seattle Public Schools