Photo courtesy of the Richardson Independent School District.
Derica Turner did not expect to cry during her interview to become Audelia Creek Elementary’s next principal.
But as Richardson Independent School District officials described the school’s potential, diverse student body and close-knit community, Turner found herself imagining what the campus could become.
“I actually cried in my interview,” Turner says. “I don’t think that’s something that you’re supposed to do, but we just kind of teared up thinking about all of the great things that could happen here on campus.”
This fall, Turner will begin her first year leading Audelia Creek, bringing more than 15 years of experience in education and a leadership philosophy rooted in compassion, community and building on what’s already working.
Turner, a Cedar Hill Independent School District alumna, earned a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of North Texas. Before becoming a principal, she served as a special education teacher, elementary and middle school classroom teacher, instructional coach, special education coordinator and executive director of special education in Cedar Hill ISD.
“This is my first year in principal leadership, so I’m really excited to be here,” Turner says. “This is a new district, and I’m coming from the southern sector of Dallas.”
Turner learned about the opening after a friend encouraged her to apply. As she researched Audelia Creek, she found herself drawn to both the campus’ progress and the community surrounding it.
“I was aware that Audelia Creek is a turnaround campus, but I ultimately saw the progress that had been made, and I was also intrigued by the diversity of the campus,” she says.
Although Audelia Creek has been identified as a turnaround campus because of past academic performance, Turner says she isn’t arriving with plans to overhaul the school.
“My goal is not to come in and change anything,” she says. “My goal is to come in and build on the success they already have.”
Instead, Turner hopes to strengthen existing systems while bringing together teachers, students, families and community members.
“What I want to do is galvanize the systems, all the teachers, leaders, students, community leaders, and reinforce the systems,” she says. “And make some tweaks in areas where we can grow.”
Another aspect that drew Turner to Audelia Creek was its neighborhood setting. Because most students live within a two-mile radius of campus, many walk to school instead of riding a bus.
“It’s very community based,” Turner says. “We can literally see the community we serve from every window that we look out on campus, and that’s important to me.”
She says she hopes families will see themselves as partners in their children’s education and students will view school as an extension of their community.
Turner’s years working with vulnerable student populations have shaped the way she approaches leadership, teaching her to lead with empathy before anything else.
“You cannot serve well if you are not well yourself,” she says. “That’s one of the things that I feel like I would bring to the campus.”
One student in particular continues to shape the way Turner leads.
Maria, a 5-year-old student with Down syndrome whom Turner worked with while in Cedar Hill ISD, died during the 2024-25 school year. Although Turner describes the loss as heartbreaking, she says Maria’s lasting impact came from the way her classmates and teachers embraced her as a valued member of the school community.
“As we talked about her and reflected on her, she was never treated as a child with Down syndrome,” Turner says. “She was given the same opportunities to laugh, enjoy school and engage with her peers to the best of her ability. She was fully integrated into the school.”
Turner says Maria’s experience is the kind of culture she hopes to cultivate at Audelia Creek — one where every student feels welcomed, valued and supported, regardless of their background or abilities.
“I want every child to experience that, no matter who you are, whether you’re the smallest pre-K student or getting ready to transition to middle school,” she says. “I want that environment to be so close-knit that everywhere you look, you don’t see a stranger.”
Outside of school, Turner describes herself as an avid reader, swimmer and karaoke enthusiast who enjoys binge-watching television shows. Although she doesn’t have children of her own, she proudly embraces another title within her family.
“When I tell you I’m the rich auntie, I’m the rich auntie,” Turner says with a laugh. “Whatever you need, I have you.”
That same sense of care is something she hopes to bring to Audelia Creek, where she wants students, teachers and families to feel supported both inside and outside the classroom.
The potential Turner saw during her interview is now the future she’ll help shape.
As she prepares to welcome students this fall, she says her goal is to build on the school’s existing strengths while creating an environment where every child has the opportunity to succeed.
“I hope that my legacy is that I was able to cultivate an environment where every child was able to learn, grow and see success, no matter what that looks like,” Turner says. “I hope the systems we build here put students first and create a culture of support for students and teachers.”
