Two local Fairfax County Public Schools have welcomed new principals for the 2018-19 school year.
Maria Eck has been named the new principal of Justice High School, effective July 23. Eck is currently serving as principal of Poe Middle School, where she has been a leader since 2014. Prior to joining the staff at Poe, Eck served as the principal at McNair Elementary School. She has also served as an assistant principal at McNair Elementary and Glasgow Middle School, as well as intersession coordinator at Glen Forest Elementary. Eck formerly worked in Miami-Dade County Public Schools as an administrator, classroom teacher and an English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) teacher. Eck, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, has worked extensively in schools with high percentages of English language learners and has a proven track record of increasing student achievement. A graduate of Florida International University, where she earned a bachelor of arts in education, Eck earned a master’s of education in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
Ashley Castillo has been named principal of Lemon Road Elementary School, effective August 1. Castillo has served as the assistant principal at Shrevewood Elementary School since 2017. Previously, she served as an assistant principal at Westlawn Elementary from 2014-17, and has also served as an advanced academics resource teacher at Fairhill Elementary as well as McNair Elementary. Castillo has also worked as a classroom teacher at McNair Elementary. Castillo has had an abundance of experience supporting and celebrating diverse populations and communities and has a deep understanding of all types of learners and their needs. She is dedicated to continuing the work of collaborative teams as a method of increasing student achievement, and to continuing the positive, caring culture at Lemon Road through the continued implementation of the Positivity Project. Castillo holds a bachelor of science degree in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies from James Madison University and a master’s in Educational Leadership from George Mason University. She also holds a K-12 Gifted Education Endorsement from the University of Virginia.
