Spring Branch ISD Names New Pine Shadows Elementary Principal

Chris Winstead has been named the new principal at Pine Shadows Elementary School. She has 45 years of teaching and administrative experience, and has taught in private schools and at regional universities and community colleges.

Principal Winstead served as assistant principal at Pine Shadows Elementary for the past three years. Before that, she taught as an adjunct professor in Lone Star College’s programs at the Tomball and University Park campuses. In addition, she was a university supervisor at Texas A&M University/Sam Houston State University.

From 1977 through 2003, Principal Winstead was a teacher and then principal in Spring ISD. She was the principal at both Link and Jenkins elementary schools, and she taught earlier at Hirsch and Spring elementary schools. She was a teacher in Aldine ISD for one year and also taught at St. Matthews Lutheran School in Houston in the early 1970s.

In 1970, she earned her bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, Ill. She later earned her master’s degree in educational leadership from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville.

“I was honored and excited to assume the role of principal at Pine Shadows Elementary this summer,” she said. “Pine Shadows students, staff and community have a huge passion for living and learning, which has always been my personal focus.”

“The enriching culture and diversity on our campus is energizing to me. I can’t wait to get to school each morning to see what students are learning in their classrooms and to see our staff engaged in this process. In addition, our greater community, which includes families and neighborhood partnerships, supports us, encourages us and assists us in educating our students,” Principal Winstead said.

She is committed to Spring Branch T-2-4’s goal, which calls for all students to be equipped with the academic and life skills to successfully complete some form of education after graduation – military training, technical certification, or a two-year or four-year college degree.

Pine Shadows Elementary’s theme this year is “See It, Believe It, Achieve It.” Principal Winstead said that she “embraces this challenge to see the vision, to believe in our mission, and to achieve our goals for our students, our staff and community. We can do this!”

When not at school, her family time is divided between high school and college-age grandchildren who reside in Georgia and elementary grandchildren who live closer to her in Cypress. Principal Winstead replaces Joyce Olson, who has retired.