On February 21st, McCallum assistant principal, Dr. LaVonda Loney, was recognized as The Texas Alliance of Black School Educators’s 2026 Assistant Principal of the year. According to TABSE, the award honors outstanding educators who have demonstrated unwavering commitment to leadership in their community. For Loney, the path to becoming an AP was not entirely straightforward. Although she originally went to college to pursue law, her passion for helping others led her to become an educator.
“What made me want to pursue education was just service,” Loney said. “I started in law and I needed a job, and the only job that I could get at the time was a substitute teacher. I just fell in love with working with kids.”
After deciding to pursue a career in education, Loney became an assistant principal. Loney was initially drawn to McCallum because of its unique status as a fine arts academy.
“I didn’t really think that there was anything else that I hadn’t done,” Loney said. “After I made it to a fine arts academy, I was like this is everything.”
When junior Paityn Jones learned Loney would serve as an AP, she said the moment felt especially meaningful.
“I was so excited when I found out that Dr. Loney was going to be a new AP,” Jones said. “I was like, ‘I can’t believe this is going to be my first time having a Black woman as an AP.’ To see someone in that position made me really excited for the school year.”
Though some of Loney’s main duties include managing credit recovery and testing, she has also become an integral part of McCallum’s Students of Color Alliance. During SOCA’s Black Girl Magic luncheon on Feb. 26, Loney served as a panel member and spoke to students about her own experiences.
“[Dr.Loney] spoke about how being a Black young woman on campus, we will never be alone and she will always be someone we can turn to,” junior SOCA member Paityn Jones said. “The fact that she’s excited to help everyone shows how amazing of a person she is.”
Loney’s impact extends beyond students. Guidance secretary and SOCA sponsor Tonya Moore first met Loney at the beginning of the school year and was immediately impressed by her background and the unique knowledge she brings to the role.
“[Loney] brings a unique aspect to McCallum because she’s real,” Moore said. “There’s a kind of comfort level that’s there with her. I automatically clicked with her the second I saw her.”
According to Moore, Loney’s reliability and commitment make her a great addition to McCallum’s leadership.
“We all enjoy just being able to go to her,” Moore said. “If we know that we need something, we know she’ll get it done.”
The news that she would be honored as TABSE’s AP of the year initially shocked Loney. Being a first-year administrator at McCallum made the recognition feel even more special to Loney.
“I definitely didn’t expect it,” Loney said. “The greatest part of all of this is that I’m new, so it’s great that people are noticing the type of work I do.”
Loney was recognized at the TABSE 41st annual state conference, where she received a plaque and a scholarship for her son’s college education. For Loney, the most meaningful part of the experience was sharing it with her family.
“What made this pretty magical was not only was I awarded AP of the year, but my son also got a $500 scholarship to help him with college next school year,” Loney said. “Him being a senior, it was bittersweet to watch both of us share the stage.”
Since Loney is a woman of color, Moore hopes that her achievements will encourage students to follow their dreams.
“I think she’s a very good role model for students to look up to,” Moore said. “It’s good when you can see a Black woman in a position like that because students are like, ‘hey, I can do it too’. Sometimes I think that kids don’t think it’s achievable, so she definitely gives that comfort level to students.”
Reflecting on the experience, Loney said that being recognized as TABSE’s AP of the year was significant to her on a personal level.
“It’s beautiful to be recognized in this way,” Loney said. “None of us actually set out to do anything like that, but when people notice and then think that you’re deserving, it’s humbling but exciting all at the same time.”
