Atwood McDonald Elementary School
Administration
Principal Joyce Bowens Thomas
Mrs. Bowens Thomas has served as a dedicated educator and instructional leader in FWISD for 25 years. Mrs. Bowens Thomas earned her Bachelor's in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from Texas Woman’s University, teaching certification from Tarleton State University and a Masters in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Arlington.
Mrs. Bowens Thomas taught for eleven years at Como Elementary School as a literacy teacher, also serving as grade level chair, literacy coach, and gifted and talented coordinator. During this time, she was honored as Campus Teacher of the Year and FWISD Reading Chair of Excellence. She transitioned into administration at A.M. Pate Elementary School, serving as Assistant Principal Intern and Dean of Instruction for eight years. Additionally, she served six years at Van Zandt-Guinn Elementary School, in the Historic Southside, as Assistant Principal.
She enjoys reading all types of books and has a passion for sharing excellent children's authors with children.
Mrs. Bowens Thomas feels privileged to serve as Principal at Atwood McDonald Elementary School… Home of the Proud Panthers. She believes in educational equity for all students and works diligently to build relationships with faculty and staff, students, parents, and community leaders to create a successful learning environment with the Power of Purple!
Assistant Principal Justine Lynch
Ms. Lynch is honored and excited to join the Atwood McDonald family as our new Assistant Principal. Education has been her passion and life's calling. She has taught fourth and fifth grade students and Lowery Road Elementary and sixth grade students and Castleberry ISD, accumulating eight years of classroom experience. These years were profoundly rewarding, allowing her to witness firsthand the incredible impact that dedicated educators have on the lives of their students, coworkers and community members.
For the past two and a half years, she has served as a district-wide instructional coach at FWISD, working closely with educators across elementary, middle and high school campuses to enhance instructional practices and foster a culture of continuous improvement. This role has deepened her appreciation for the hard work and dedication that teachers bring to their classrooms every day.
As our Assistant Principal, she is committed to supporting all teachers and providing the best possible education for our students. Ms. Lynch looks forward to contributing to the continued success of Atwood McDonald Elementary School.