description here
Meet Our Principal
Kimberly M. Richardson is a Dallas ISD graduate of David W. Carter High School where she graduated with valedictorian honors. She pursued and received her Bachelor's Degree in English with a minor in Secondary Education, following that degree with a Master's in Educational Leadership from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.
Following in her father’s educational footsteps, Ms. Richardson began her teaching career at Estacado High School in Lubbock, Texas in 1995 and returned to Dallas to teach at Woodrow Wilson High School for several years. She transitioned to working in Central office leadership as a specialist and during this time she found her calling as a campus administrator. Ms. Richardson has led Thomas L. Marsalis Elementary STEAM Academy as principal since 2006 and has successfully guided the campus to multiple TEA Academic Distinctions during her tenure, including earning all six distinctions in 2016, 2019 and 2023. In 2020, Marsalis was awarded and became a Dallas ISD Innovation School with a focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) principles. Marsalis is thriving as a campus focused on design thinking, scientific exploration, fine arts integration and co-curricular activities for students, and several partnerships have been secured to help the campus achieve its lofty goals. Under Ms. Richardson's leadership, Marsalis earned the 2021 National Certificate for STEM Excellence and is a Nationally Certified STEM Campus with over 70% of campus teachers successfully receiving the National Certificate for STEM Teaching. Ms. Richardson has been selected in 2017, 2019 and 2021 as South Oak Cliff Vertical Team's Principal of the Year and is a 2024-2025 Dallas ISD Master Principal. It is an honor that she does not take lightly and she is proud to represent the South Oak Cliff community. Ms. Richardson has also received the following recognitions: 2013 Commission on Civil Rights, Education, and Legislative Affairs Award from the Alpha Rho Chapter of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., David W. Carter Distinguished Alumni, and Turn of the Tide Ministries Support Award.
Her guiding leadership principle is “Leave a Legacy” and she works tirelessly to ensure that her work in her profession, her community and in her family accomplishes that goal.
