United Independent School District is pleased to announce the promotion of Guadalupe Ayala to Associate Principal of the Lyndon B. Johnson 9th Grade Campus. A longtime educator and administrator with 20 years of service to UISD, Ayala brings extensive classroom and leadership experience, as well as a strong personal connection to the South Laredo community, to her new position.

Ayala most recently served as an Assistant Principal at Johnson High School, where she spent four years. Prior to joining the LBJ administration, she served for two years as an Assistant Principal at Clark Middle School.

For Ayala, her greatest accomplishment throughout her career has been the opportunity to serve the community that helped shape her.

“My proudest accomplishment hasn’t been a single award or title, but rather the collective impact of my 20-year commitment to South Laredo,” Ayala said. “As a Cigarroa High School graduate, returning to teach at Los Obispos, lead at Clark Middle School, and Johnson High School has allowed me to give back to the very community that raised me. Being a trusted fixture in South Laredo and guiding generations of students and families through their educational journeys is the absolute honor of my career.”

As Associate Principal of the Johnson 9th Grade Campus, Ayala will help guide students through one of the most important transitions of their educational careers: the move from middle school to high school.

“Because the 9th-grade campus serves as the central meeting point for all our feeder patterns, this transition is a critical milestone in our students’ academic and social development,” Ayala said. “Being part of a journey that facilitates a seamless transition is a privilege I deeply value. Our students deserve every opportunity to thrive, and providing strong, intentional support during this crucial year is key to their long-term success.”

In her new position, Ayala will focus on fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive campus environment while instilling “Wolfpack Pride” in students, teachers, and staff from their first day on campus.

“Having served the United Independent School District for 20 years, I am fully committed to leading our Wolfpack community and ensuring every incoming 9th-grade student experiences a seamless, supportive, and academically rigorous transition into high school,” Ayala said. “I possess a deep, firsthand understanding of the exact feeder schools our students come from. I know where our incoming freshmen begin their journey, what they need to succeed, and how to bridge the gap between middle school expectations and high school achievement.”

Ayala began her teaching career in 2002 with the Northside Independent School District in San Antonio. After returning to Laredo, she taught sixth grade at St. Peter’s Memorial School before joining UISD in 2006. She spent 14 years at Los Obispos Middle School, where she served as a Social Studies teacher and Pathfinder. In 2020, she transitioned into campus administration, serving as Assistant Principal at Clark Middle School and later at Johnson High School.

“With 20 years of dedicated service within the UISD community, I have developed a deep understanding of our district’s values, culture, and educational goals,” Ayala said. “It is a true privilege to continue contributing to student success and community growth across two decades of service.”

Ayala is a 1997 graduate of Cigarroa High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Composite from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio and a master’s degree in Educational Administration in 2018. She is currently a doctoral candidate pursuing an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Outside of her professional responsibilities, Ayala places family at the center of her life. She and her husband, Israel, have been married for 19 years and are the parents of two daughters, Allisson and Madelyn; both attended UISD schools.

“Family is my greatest joy,” Ayala said. “As proud products of UISD schools themselves, our daughters inspire my deep connection to and belief in the power of our local education system.”

Ayala enjoys spending her free time with her family and their three puppies, gardening, and enjoying nature. She also remains committed to serving young people beyond the school setting through her role as a Confirmation teacher at Nuestra Señora del Rosario Catholic Church.

“For me, serving our young people doesn’t stop at the school doors, it is a lifelong commitment that extends into the heart of our broader community,” Ayala said.

UISD congratulates Ayala and wishes her continued success as she begins this new chapter of leadership and service.