The Burbank Unified School District (BUSD) is proud to announce the appointment of Rebecca Roundtree Harris as the new Director of Elementary Education, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Harris, a dedicated educator with a rich history in public education, has been serving Disney Elementary with unwavering dedication, making a significant impact on the lives of students and staff alike. While her absence at Disney will be deeply felt, the district is excited that her expertise will now benefit all of its elementary schools.
Since 2001, Harris has been a stalwart in public education in the Los Angeles area. She began her career as a classroom teacher after earning a bachelor’s degree in African American Studies and Spanish and a master’s in African American Studies. After completing graduate school, she joined Teach for America and began teaching elementary school.
In 2015, she transitioned to a district-level curriculum specialist focusing on English Language Arts. She further advanced her career in the 2017-2018 school year when she transitioned to an administrator role. She has served as the principal of two dual immersion elementary schools and joined Walt Disney Elementary School as the principal in the 2022-2023 school year.
Harris is currently working on her doctorate in Educational Leadership at the University of Southern California. She grew up as the youngest of twelve children in Iowa in an arts-rich environment.
BUSD Superintendent John Paramo expressed his pride in promoting one of their own principals to this important role. “This is a testament to the district’s investment in developing our leaders,” he said. “Our community is truly fortunate to have someone of Rebecca Roundtree Harris’s caliber in this position.”
The district looks forward to the continued growth and success under the leadership of Ms. Harris.