Mr. Cotter is the proud Principal of Wesley Elementary School. He is a product of the Acres Homes Community and native Houstonian. Although the 2020-2021 school year brings unforseen challenges due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Cotter is committed to serving all students and the school community. Through his leadership, he and his team are committed to five instructional committments (leadership principles), in the continuation of successive progress:
Instructional Commitment Number One: Student-Centered Learning
Instructional Commitment Number Two: Collaborative Data-Driven Planning
Instructional Commitment Number Three: Social Emotional Learning
Instructional Commitment Number Four: High Expectations for ALL Learners
Instructional Commitment Number Five: Positive Attitudes & Growth Mindsets
TJ Cotter began his career in education as a teacher at Gregory-Lincoln Education Center in the Houston Independent School District where he taught Social Studies and Reading. He has since served as an Instructional Specialist and Dean of Students at Dowling Middle School (since re-named Audrey H. Lawson MS). He then transitioned to Woodson PK-8 Leadership Academy as the Assistant Principal in which he was was involved in assisting with the turnaround of the campus; moving the campus from “improvement required” to meeting state accountability standards, spenctions by thecifically with the increase of student growth and decrease of performance gaps, to avoid major sa Texas Education Agency. He most recently served as the Assistant Principal at North Forest High School, moving the campus from a Year 4 IR campus to meeting state accountability.
TJ earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Texas Southern University and his Master of Education in Administration and Policy Studies from University of Houston. TJ is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated. He is currently working on his Doctor of Education in Professional Leadership and Policy studies at the University of Houston where his research is focused on school turnaround and effective supports for turnaround leaders.
