Aiken County Public Schools is pleased to announce Eliezer ‘Eli’ Badillo as the new principal at North Augusta Elementary for the 2024-25 school year. Badillo most recently served as an Assistant Principal at Highland Springs Middle during the school’s inaugural year.
During his time at Highland Springs Middle School, Badillo oversaw compliance with district policies, success of instructional programs, and operation of all campus activities. He served on the District Education Improvement Committee and Campus Improvement Team while navigating the development of long and short ranged plans to align with campus and district needs and launching a campus behavior plan that yielded positive results.
Badillo’s’ appointment as Principal of North Augusta Elementary School was approved during the regular meeting of the Aiken County Board of Education on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. He will transition into his new role as principal of North Augusta Elementary School in July ahead of the 2024-25 school year.
As part of his transition to North Augusta Elementary, Badillo has already started meeting with teachers, office staff, and PTO members as he endeavors to hear directly from faculty, staff, and parents what they love most about the school community.
“They have all been welcoming and enthusiastic about the school and upcoming year,” Badillo shared. “The school community has already made me feel like I am part of the North Augusta Elementary Dolphin Family.”
With 14 years of experience as an educator and administrator in rural, urban, and suburban settings at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, Badillo’s experiences have helped him to see the social, academic, and behavioral transitions from Kindergarten to High School. He wholeheartedly believes that great schools are the result of great teachers and hopes to model effective instructional leadership by emphasizing the value of research-based strategies and application through teacher professional development, which results in improved student achievement.
“One of my primary goals is to support teachers of North Augusta Elementary by providing them with the tools they need to continue to be successful and help our students grow and prosper,” he commented.
Badillo’s academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Church Ministries (2010) and a Masters in Elementary Education (2013) from Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas. He earned Principal Certification from the University of North Texas in 2015.
He joined Aiken County Public Schools as an Assistant Principal at Silver Bluff High School in February 2022. Prior to his service in Aiken County, Badillo worked as an Assistant Principal at Manor Middle School for Killeen Independent School District and Sam Houston High in Texas.
Badillo served as a Communications Sergeant in the United States Army from 1997 to 2002. He taught at the elementary level in Texas for six years before transitioning into administration.
He believes it is crucial to strengthen school-wide systems and processes.
“Clear and open communication, collaboration, and shared decision-making will be at the heart of our work,” he remarked.
Badillo is thrilled about the upcoming school year and looks forward to partnering with North Augusta Elementary staff and families to ensure that students have a school year filled with quality instruction and fun. He encourages parents and guardians to join the PTO to guarantee that their voices are heard and shares that his door is always open.
In communicating his vision for North Augusta Elementary School, Badillo shared that he is passionate about working together to create a community that radiates positivity, kindness, and inclusivity.
“Every student should feel a profound sense of belonging, safety, and support at our school from the first moment they walk into our building,” he professed.
Badillo is a firm believer in the power of student voice. “Our students are the heart and soul of our school, and their dreams, stories, cultures, and ideas should be valued, nurtured, and given a platform to shine,” he continued. “I am committed to finding ways for our young leaders to become active participants in their learning and to find opportunities for student leadership within our school and beyond.”
North Augusta Elementary families are invited to “Meet the Principal” on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Drop in from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at North Augusta Elementary to meet Mr. Badillo ahead of the 2024-25 school year which begins on July 22.