Puga tapped as MFISD director of Elementary Education

The Marble Falls Independent School District has named Soor-el Puga the new director of Elementary Education. He will assume the job at the end of the 2023-24 school year.

“I am thrilled to serve our community in this new role and look forward to working with our elementary schools as we continue our great work for our students and community,” Puga said in a March 20 media release.

Puga has worked with MFISD for the past seven years as the director of Bilingual/ESL Programs and Migrant Services. During that time, he led elementary dual-language programs and implemented the district’s annual Hispanic Heritage Month event.

Puga was also responsible for the creation of the Marble Falls High School Welcome Center, a resource for the district’s newest bilingual students.

“I am looking forward to him impacting the education of our students in a larger capacity,” said Yarda Leflet, MFISD assistant superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, in the media release.

Before coming to Marble Falls, Puga worked for 17 years at Hays Consolidated ISD as an elementary principal, assistant principal, instructional technologist, and elementary teacher.

Active in educational associations, Puga is currently the past president of the regional board of directors for the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association. He is a member of the Texas Association of Bilingual Education and the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education and is a national representative for the American Educational Research Association.

Puga is also a published children’s book author and illustrator. 

“I am excited for Soor-el Puga to serve as our director of Elementary Education,” Leflet said. “Mr. Puga is an experienced principal and a leader in elementary education, from coaching leaders to serving on the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association Board of Directors.”

nathan@thepicayune.com