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Campus Information

Year Open:

Bond Year:

School Mascot: Bees

School colors: Yellow, Black

Ellison Elementary Principal
Valerie Arce - Principal
Welcome! My name is Valerie Arce, and I am honored to serve the Ellison Elementary community. I am excited to join the Ellison family and proud to become part of The Hive. I look forward to building strong partnerships with our students, families, and staff as we work together to create meaningful learning experiences and support every child's success. Together, we will help our students learn, grow, and thrive.

I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from The University of Texas at San Antonio in 2008 and my Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from UTSA in 2014. This year marks my 17th year in Northside ISD. I began my career at Knowlton Elementary, where I taught bilingual students in grades two through five and later served as the campus Language Support Teacher. I then had the privilege of helping open Cole Elementary as its founding Associate Principal. Most recently, I proudly served as Principal of Timberwilde Elementary for five years before joining the Ellison Elementary community.

As an educator and leader, I am passionate about ensuring that every student receives a high-quality education in an environment where they feel valued, supported, and empowered. I believe that academic success and social-emotional well-being go hand in hand. My goal is to foster a culture of trust, belonging, and collaboration by building meaningful relationships with students, staff, and families. Just as every bee plays an important role in the hive, every member of our school community contributes to the success of our students. By focusing on the whole child, we can help students develop the confidence, skills, and character they need to reach their full potential.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as principal of Ellison Elementary and look forward to partnering with you as we continue to build a thriving hive where every student can succeed.


¡Bienvenidos! Mi nombre es Valerie Arce y me siento honrada de servir a la comunidad de Ellison. Estoy emocionada de unirme a la familia de Ellison y orgullosa de formar parte de nuestra Colmena. Espero establecer sólidas relaciones con nuestros estudiantes, familias y personal mientras trabajamos juntos para crear experiencias de aprendizaje significativas y apoyar el éxito de cada niño. Juntos, ayudaremos a nuestros estudiantes a aprender, crecer y alcanzar su máximo potencial.

Obtuve mi Licenciatura en Estudios Interdisciplinarios de la Universidad de Texas en San Antonio (UTSA) en 2008 y mi Maestría en Liderazgo Educativo de UTSA en 2014. Este es mi decimoséptimo año en Northside ISD. Comencé mi carrera educativa en la Primaria Knowlton, donde enseñé a estudiantes bilingües de segundo a quinto grado y posteriormente serví como Maestra de Apoyo Lingüístico. Después, tuve el privilegio de formar parte del equipo fundador de la Primaria Cole como su primera Subdirectora. Más recientemente, tuve el honor de servir como Directora de la Primaria Timberwilde durante cinco años.

Como educadora y líder, me apasiona asegurar que cada estudiante reciba una educación de alta calidad en un ambiente donde se sienta valorado, apoyado y motivado. Creo firmemente que el éxito académico y el bienestar socioemocional van de la mano. Mi objetivo es fomentar una cultura de confianza, pertenencia y colaboración mediante la construcción de relaciones significativas con estudiantes, personal y familias. Así como cada abeja desempeña un papel importante dentro de la colmena, cada miembro de nuestra comunidad escolar contribuye al éxito de nuestros estudiantes. Al enfocarnos en el desarrollo integral de cada niño, podemos ayudarles a desarrollar la confianza, las habilidades y el carácter necesarios para alcanzar su máximo potencial.

Estoy agradecida por la oportunidad de servir como directora de Ellison y espero colaborar con ustedes mientras continuamos construyendo una colmena próspera donde cada estudiante pueda tener éxito.
Associate Principle Christina Escarcega
Christina Escarcega - Associate Principal

The Associate Principal also serves as the Campus Behavior Coordinator. They can be reached by email at christina.escarcega@nisd.net or by phone at 210-398-1865.

My name is Christina Escarcega, I am proud to be the Ellison Bees Associate Principal. I have been in education for 12 years and 7 years in Northside. I have worked with students and teachers from ages Pre-k through 7th grade. I am proud to be part of the Ellison community.

I grew up in Sweeny, Texas, a small town on the gulf coast. My ambition brought me to San Antonio where I graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio. I completed my Masters in Educational Leadership as a UTSA Roadrunner.

I am a boy mom to two sons, Daniel and Dominic. My husband and I are busy on weekends with sports activities and love every minute of it. I love to read and will read any chance I get.

My enthusiasm for learning and the success of students is what drives me to be the best.