Meet Our Principal
Auden Sarabia, Principal of RYSS Middle School at East Aldine
Auden Sarabia serves as the Principal of RYSS Middle School at East Aldine, where he is committed to creating a school culture that inspires academic excellence, innovation, and meaningful relationships. With more than 30 years of experience in public education, Mr. Sarabia has dedicated his career to helping schools improve student achievement by empowering teachers, building strong community partnerships, and ensuring every student has access to high-quality learning opportunities.
Before joining RYSS, Mr. Sarabia served as principal of Houston ISD's Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School, where he was named Houston ISD Middle School Principal of the Year for the 2022–2023 school year. During his tenure, he led numerous instructional and technology initiatives, secured more than $1 million in innovative learning resources through the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program, and helped establish a culture of excellence centered on student engagement, restorative practices, and data-driven instruction.
Previously, Mr. Sarabia served as principal of Crespo Elementary Fine Arts Magnet School, where he successfully led the campus out of state improvement status, expanded nationally recognized fine arts partnerships, and developed innovative programs to support multilingual learners and strengthen family engagement. His earlier leadership roles at Roberts Elementary and Wharton Dual Language Academy focused on instructional technology, magnet program development, bilingual education, and community collaboration.
At RYSS Middle School at East Aldine, Mr. Sarabia is leading the development of a STEM-focused learning environment that emphasizes rigorous academics, social-emotional learning, restorative practices, and authentic partnerships with universities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. His leadership philosophy centers on the belief that schools succeed when students are known, teachers are supported, families are valued, and the community works together to remove barriers to success.
Mr. Sarabia holds a Master of Education in Instructional Technology from the University of Houston and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of Texas at Austin. He has completed executive leadership programs through Rice University and the Harvard Graduate School of Education and holds Texas certifications as a Principal (EC–12), Bilingual/ESL teacher, and Elementary teacher.