Principals to serve at Baranoff, Cowan, Kiker and Sunset Valley

Austin ISD is proud to welcome four new elementary school principals to its leadership team. The appointments of principals at Baranoff, Cowan, Kiker and Sunset Valley elementary schools were approved by the board at its March 30 regular voting meeting.

Baranoff Elementary School 

Beth Cantu will continue to serve as the principal of Baranoff Elementary School.

Cantu has served as interim principal at Baranoff since fall 2019 and assistant principal since August 2016. She has been with AISD since 2010 and served as a teacher for six years.

"I am truly honored and excited to serve as principal of Timy Baranoff Elementary School," Cantu said. "I am deeply committed to working collaboratively with our students, staff, parents, and community for the continued success of Baranoff.  Working together, I am confident that we will continue to provide all of our students with an outstanding school experience to support the whole child."

Cowan Elementary School

Travis Brunner will continue serving the Cowan Elementary School community as principal.

Brunner has served as interim principal at Cowan since July 2019. He previously worked as the assistant principal at O. Henry Middle School. Brunner has been with Austin ISD for 12 years and served as a teacher for eight years, six of those in AISD.

"Dennis E. Cowan Elementary is a phenomenal school and I look forward to our continued collaborative work to ensure our students thrive socially, emotionally, and academically," Brunner said. "Over the past nine months, Cowan has become a home to me and I'm excited to grow the positive relationships I have formed with our students, staff, and community."

Kiker Elementary School

Cory Matheny will be directing Kiker Elementary School as the new principal.

Matheny most recently served as the assistant principal at Clayton Elementary School, a position she held since 2016. She has been with AISD since 2009 and served as a teacher for 19 years.

"I am excited and honored to be the new Principal of Kiker Elementary," Matheny said. "The staff and community are truly committed to meeting the needs of all students and I'm thrilled to join such a dedicated team."

Sunset Valley Elementary School

Marizza Marquez will serve as the new principal of Sunset Valley Elementary School.

Marquez has been serving as interim principal at Sunset Valley since July 2019. She previously worked as the program director at Webb Primary School. Marquez has been with AISD since August 2007 in various positions including bilingual teacher, summer school principal and other administrative roles.

"I am honored to serve the very diverse, inclusive and accepting Sunset Valley Elementary community," Marquez said. "I look forward to working with families and staff on strengthening and expanding our dual language program, Innovation Zone and whole child activities by exploring enrichment learning opportunities and ensuring that we prepare our students with valuable 21st-century skills."