The United Independent School District is proud to announce the promotion of Dr. Sophia Lorraine Vasquez Scruggs to Principal of Veterans Memorial Elementary School.

 

She has served the UISD community for over a decade, most recently as an assistant principal at Freedom Elementary. Her experience in education is extensive.

 

“Throughout my career, I have proudly served the Laredo and United Independent School District communities across diverse roles. My journey includes experience as a paraprofessional, a class size reduction teacher, a 3rd and 5th-grade classroom teacher, a grade-level pathfinder, and most recently, a campus assistant principal,” she said.

 

She has earned distinguished recognitions as a United ISD League of Legends and a United CARES Champion for delivering excellent customer service at Freedom Elementary. Her dedication in the classroom also earned her a nomination for the Golden Apple recognition while at Dr. Henry Cuellar Elementary. She also completed the UISD Aspiring Assistant Principals Academy in 2017.

 

This latest accomplishment is especially meaningful, Dr. Scruggs said.

 

“I started my teaching career within this very same feeder pattern and community. Stepping into the principalship feels like a profound full-circle moment. I feel a deep sense of pride and responsibility to the families, students, and staff who shaped my journey, and I am eager to pour my heart into leading our campus forward,” she said.

 

She hopes to lead the school with purpose so that every student might reach their fullest potential.

 

“My primary goal is to seamlessly build upon our campus’s foundation by empowering our dedicated faculty and cultivating a data-driven instructional environment where student growth is prioritized at every level. I aim to foster deep collaboration with our parents and community to ensure a safe, engaging, and inclusive campus culture that is focused on academic ingenuity and success,” Dr. Scruggs said.

 

She earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of New England, her Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction and Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas A&M International University. She holds Texas certifications as a Principal (EC-12), Generalist (EC-6), English Language Arts and Reading (4-8), and Bilingual Education Supplemental-Spanish, alongside T-TESS, T-PESS, and Advanced Educational Leadership (AEL) Appraiser, and Reading Academy certificates.

 

She said she is thankful to her current principal, Stephanie Silva-Garcia, the board of trustees and Superintendent Dr. Gerardo Cruz for the opportunities she has received.

 

Dr. Scruggs loves spending time reading everything from Charles Dickens and J.R.R. Tolkien to Dan Brown or James Patterson thrillers—or catching up on self-help literature. She and her family also enjoy Disney favorites, Star Wars and horror films.

 

“I am profoundly grateful to my husband, Anthony Scruggs, and our beautiful daughters Aislin and Ruby, for being my daily anchor, as well as my mother, Ruby, my siblings, and my grandmother for their unwavering love and support. I also owe a deep debt of gratitude to my late father, Pedro Vasquez, who instilled in me the work ethic and motivation I carry today,” Dr. Scruggs said.