Oak Street Elementary Gains New Principal For New School Year

FALLS CHURCH, VA — On Friday, the Falls Church City School Board announced the appointment of Karim Daugherty as the new principal of Oak Street Elementary School.

Daugherty has been principal of Beech Tree Elementary School in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County for nine years. In 2018, she was named Top Rated Principal by the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, and she's been nominated for Fairfax County "Outstanding Principal" five times. She succeeds Paul Swanson as principal, as he become director of research and strategic evaluation for Falls Church City Public Schools earlier this summer.

"I am both honored and thrilled to serve the Oak Street Community for years to come, continuing to learn and grow as an educational leader," Daugherty said in a statement. "Falls Church City Public Schools believes every student is capable and deserving of an International Baccalaureate education, and so do I."

Daugherty comes to Falls Church City Public Schools with 25 years of teaching and administrator experience. Her education career began as an elementary teacher in Harker Heights, Texas before she moved to Virginia in 2000. After becoming an assistant principal at Beech Tree Elementary in 2006, she was appointed principal in 2013. Daugherty has a bachelor's degree in psychology from George Mason University and a master’s degree in school administration from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Texas.

The new Oak Street principal was selected through a process with a selection panel of staff, administration, PTA leadership and parents. The School Board will host a reception for Daugherty on Tuesday, Aug. 9 at 6:30 p.m. before its meeting.