CEDAR HILL – When Dr. Trevena Taylor was looking for a community to begin her career as an educator 14 years ago, Cedar Hill ISD seemed like an obvious choice.
Taylor, who grew up in Dallas, had lived in Cedar Hill since 2000 and has always enjoyed living in the community.
“I like working where I live because I’m truly invested in the community,” Taylor said. “My neighbors are scholars. I see scholars at the grocery store. It’s a good feeling to be part of the community that I serve.”
Both of Taylor’s sons – Joshua and Ashton graduated from Cedar Hill High School in 2011 and 2019, respectively.
Dr. Trevena Taylor
Taylor is the Associate Principal and Provost of the Collegiate Pathway, an academically rigorous Pre-K through 12thgrade program which concludes with graduates earning an Associate’s Degree from Dallas College, along with their high school diploma.
Taylor appreciates National Assistant Principals Week, which began on Monday and runs through Friday, April 9.
NDG 4/15: ‘I just want my baby home’ says distraught mom of unarmed Black man killed by police
Taylor works alongside Collegiate Pathway Chancellor Heath Koenig on managing both the Collegiate Prep Elementary campus, as well as Collegiate Academy Middle School and Collegiate High School.
“Dr. Taylor is a powerful leader, published author and friendly to all people with whom she comes in contact,” Koenig said.
Taylor began her career as a Special Education Teacher at Belt Line Intermediate and then worked as a Literacy Specialist and Interventionist at Joe Wilson Intermediate.
She was the Assistant Principal at Collegiate Prep Elementary when the campus opened in 2015, and then the principal at Waterford Oaks Elementary from 2016-2019.
Working as the Associate Pathway of a Pre-K through 12 Pathway has provided Taylor with the opportunity to see scholars matriculate through their education.
“It’s rewarding to see them in the earlier stages and then come to the high school level,” Taylor said.
Having served as a campus principal, Taylor appreciates the roles that principals have, and she also knows the importance of quality assistant principals.
“We’re the backbone of the school, so a principal cannot be successful without a great assistant or associate principal,” Taylor said.
Taylor earned both a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. She wanted to be a public school social worker, but there weren’t many jobs available.
NDG 3/11: U.S. House of Representatives passes milestone voting and ethics legislation
So she worked in business operations for an independent telecommunications company until deciding to become a teacher.
It was during her time in CHISD that she earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Dallas Baptist University, as well as a superintendent’s certificate.
