KLEIN, TEXAS—When Mrs. Lupe Riojas first walked into Kuehnle Elementary in 2013, she came to help.
She shelved books. She made copies in the workroom. She showed up as a parent volunteer, looking for a way to serve the school her children had just joined.
Now, she helps lead it.
As we celebrate National Assistant Principals Week from April 7-11, Mrs. Riojas’ journey from volunteer to assistant principal shows how important assistant principals are in Klein ISD. They support students, guide teachers, work with families, and help schools run smoothly every day.
Her story also reflects something bigger about Klein ISD. Families choose it, staff grow in it, and many who begin here find reasons to stay.
“Klein is the place to be to get a great education,” she said. “When families come here, they’re going to find teachers who are very relationship-driven and who are going to take their kids a long way.”
A Community Worth Choosing
Mrs. Riojas and her husband moved their family to the Klein area in 2013 after researching where they wanted to settle. They left a neighboring district in search of a place where their children could grow, and Klein ISD and Kuehnle quickly felt like home.
Her older son later graduated from Klein Collins High School. Her younger children started in pre-K and kindergarten at Kuehnle. Her daughter, now a senior, still keeps in touch with her kindergarten teacher.
“My kids have great relationships with their teachers,” Mrs. Riojas said. “That’s what Klein does.”
That sense of connection is part of what makes schools strong. For families, it builds trust. For staff, it creates the kind of campus community that keeps people invested in the work and in one another.
Growing Leaders From Within
Mrs. Riojas’ path in education began quietly. After volunteering on campus, she picked up a paraprofessional role, splitting her time between the library and the workroom. When a special education paraprofessional position opened, staff members asked Mrs. Riojas to step in.
She said yes.
“I had never thought that would be something I would do,” she said. “And I found myself loving it.”
That moment changed the course of her career. Mrs. Riojas completed her bachelor’s degree, earned her special education teaching certification, and accepted a position as an ACCESS teacher at Kuehnle. Two years later, then-principal Mrs. Julia Funk offered her a second-grade classroom position. When a fifth-grade ELA opening came up, Mrs. Funk encouraged her to take that step, too.
“Mrs. Funk encouraged me to step into a STAAR testing grade,” Mrs. Riojas said. “She shared that this would help me in my leadership development. I said yes again.”
From fifth grade, Mrs. Riojas moved into Kuehnle’s academic lead teacher role for special education. That work placed her on the Kuehnle leadership team and gave her more opportunities to connect with parents and support the Kuehnle staff in an instructional-coaching role on campus. By the time the assistant principal position opened, she was already helping lead in many of the ways the role requires.
The Work Assistant Principals Do
Kuehnle Elementary Principal Mrs. Jennifer Elbert saw that growth long before Mrs. Riojas had the title.
“Many times, Lupe was already doing many aspects of the assistant principal role, even as the academic lead teacher,” Mrs. Elbert said. “If we needed backup, Mrs. Riojas was the first one to jump in. She was having important conversations with teachers and parents and was always willing to do whatever it took to support our students.”
When the assistant principal opening came, Mrs. Elbert said Mrs. Riojas stood out right away.
“She is very well respected by our staff,” Mrs. Elbert said. “She has built strong relationships with everyone in our community. It was a no-brainer.”
Mrs. Riojas still remembers the day Mrs. Elbert made the announcement. She was sitting in the crowd, nervous and waiting.
“And when she announced it, hearing the response from everyone—it meant a lot,” Mrs. Riojas said. “It was like sharing news with family.”
She officially stepped into the role in January. The work is different now, not because her purpose changed, but because the scale did.
“I went from being in charge of just a few kids to all of a sudden being in charge of everyone,” she said. “But looking at the end goal—every kid safe, every kid growing, teachers feeling supported - that’s the motivation.”
That is the work assistant principals do across Klein ISD. They help create safe, supportive schools. They step into important conversations. They support teachers. They help families feel seen. They are often the people who keep a campus moving forward, even when the day takes an unexpected turn.
Mrs. Elbert said Mrs. Riojas has shown that kind of leadership over time.
“Every day is an interview,” Mrs. Elbert said. “And every day she interviewed well. I believe she was meant to lead.”
A Story Bigger Than One Campus
For Mrs. Riojas, National Assistant Principals Week is not really about recognition. It is about the people, the relationships, and the school community she has called home for more than a decade.
“We have amazing teachers and staff here,” she said. “It’s like another family. And I think families who come here are going to feel that.”
Mrs. Riojas’ journey at Kuehnle shows the impact assistant principals have across Klein ISD. They serve with dedication, grow alongside their schools, and help create places where students, families, and staff want to be. Her story started with a simple act of service and now honors all assistant principals who show up every day for Klein ISD.