Principal

Javier Rico Garcia - Principal

Welcome to The Leadership Academy! 

I am very proud and excited to be TLA's Principal. 

I have worked in education for 20 years. I have had the opportunity to work in different positions and hold a variety of responsibilities in formal and informal education in a number of countries, such as my home country Spain, England, Ireland and Finland. I have a bachelor’s degree in Education from the Complutense University of Madrid, a master’s degree in Language Disorders from the National University of Distance Education in Spain, and the Principal Certification from Lamar University in Texas. 

Eleven years ago, a teacher's exchange program between the United States and the Spanish government brought me to Tyler where I met my wife, and where we have lived ever since raising our 2 children under an American Mexican-Spanish culture.   

I love sports, music and cooking. 

In the past years I have worked as a Bilingual teacher in Tyler ISD, as Bilingual Interventionist in Chapel Hill ISD and as Bilingual Coach in Jacksonville ISD. I received the 2014 and 2017 Teacher of the Year Award in Tyler and Chapel Hill ISD, and the 2016 KEY Recognition Award in my last school district. 

With Maria Montessori, Piaget, Vigotsky and Stephen Krashen as my educational references, I cannot find a place that identifies better with my educational beliefs than The Leadership Academy. I strongly believe in the ability of all children to learn, the respect for the individual cognitive development of every person, and the intrinsic interest that all people have in learning. 

My goal as Principal is to have the clarity to make wise decisions in order to help our students, guides and our institution to grow every single day, and to always keep the flame of interest in learning burning in all of us. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me or our team when you have any questions or recommendations. 

Together we will make our school the best educational choice for your children.