Leadership Team
Meet our Principal and Assistant Principals
![Carla Carter]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1655831123/acpsk12vaus/wpbljmpwzei0dtdcoo7i/JKP_carla_carter_portrait.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1655831123/acpsk12vaus/wpbljmpwzei0dtdcoo7i/JKP_carla_carter_portrait.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1655831123/acpsk12vaus/wpbljmpwzei0dtdcoo7i/JKP_carla_carter_portrait.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1655831123/acpsk12vaus/wpbljmpwzei0dtdcoo7i/JKP_carla_carter_portrait.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1655831123/acpsk12vaus/wpbljmpwzei0dtdcoo7i/JKP_carla_carter_portrait.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1655831123/acpsk12vaus/wpbljmpwzei0dtdcoo7i/JKP_carla_carter_portrait.jpg","width":2200}])
Carla Carter
Principal
Mrs. Carter P. Carter became a member of the Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) Family in August of 1996, at which time; she served as an elementary teacher for six years at Jefferson- Houston Elementary School. Following her tenure at Jefferson Houston Elementary School, she became a Performance Evaluation Program Specialist and collaborated with administrative teams at several schools in the district to implement the PEP Evaluation System. In February of 2008, Mrs. Carter joined the Administrative Team at James K. Polk Elementary School as an Assistant Principal. As an Assistant Principal, she serves as the Special Education Administrator Designee. As the designee, she works closely with the School Support Team and teachers to brainstorm strategies and programs to assist struggling students with experiencing success.
Mrs. Carter views the opportunity for her to serve as an Assistant Principal at James K. Polk as an honor and takes great pride in the support that she provides students, staff and parents. Mrs. Carter often says, “At Polk, we can take care of our people!” She also applies the words of Rita Pierson in her work, "Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be."
Mrs. Carter is a native North Carolinian and currently resides in Bowie, Maryland with her family. She earned a Bachelors’ Degree in Elementary Education at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and a Master’s Degree in Education Leadership at George Mason University.
Phone: 703-461-4180
Email: ccarter@acps.k12.va.us
![Mrs. Katherine Loiselle]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1655831121/acpsk12vaus/mndbxvze84dlizizt7hl/JKP_katherine_loiselle_portrait.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1655831121/acpsk12vaus/mndbxvze84dlizizt7hl/JKP_katherine_loiselle_portrait.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1655831121/acpsk12vaus/mndbxvze84dlizizt7hl/JKP_katherine_loiselle_portrait.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1655831121/acpsk12vaus/mndbxvze84dlizizt7hl/JKP_katherine_loiselle_portrait.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1655831121/acpsk12vaus/mndbxvze84dlizizt7hl/JKP_katherine_loiselle_portrait.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1655831121/acpsk12vaus/mndbxvze84dlizizt7hl/JKP_katherine_loiselle_portrait.jpg","width":2200}])
Mrs. Katherine Loiselle
Assistant Principal
Katherine Loiselle has been an assistant principal at James K. Polk Elementary School since 2021. She joined Alexandria City Public Schools in 2013 as the lead first grade teacher at Cora Kelly School for Math, Science, and Technology. Ms. Loiselle began her teaching career in Stafford, Virginia in 2007 and while at Anne E. Moncure Elementary School, she taught kindergarten and first grade, also serving as a teacher mentor and grade level lead teacher. Ms. Loiselle was a data and instructional coach for five years and also took on the role of school testing coordinator, Title I liaison, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) chairperson.
Ms. Loiselle is a native Buffalonian who now lives in Virginia with her husband, son and dog. She earned her bachelor's degree in early childhood education from The State University of New York at Fredonia and holds a master's degree in educational psychology from George Mason University. Additionally, Ms. Loiselle has post-graduate certification in educational leadership and administration from The George Washington University. Ms. Loiselle was nominated for the Agnes Meyer Teacher of the Year Award. Preferred Pronouns: She/Her/Hers.
Phone: 703-461-4180
Email: katherine.loiselle@acps.k12.va.us
![Mrs. India Tillman, Assistant Principal]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1655831121/acpsk12vaus/ul4e6blezxyd23mz4fu1/JKP_india_tillman_portrait.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1655831121/acpsk12vaus/ul4e6blezxyd23mz4fu1/JKP_india_tillman_portrait.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1655831121/acpsk12vaus/ul4e6blezxyd23mz4fu1/JKP_india_tillman_portrait.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1655831121/acpsk12vaus/ul4e6blezxyd23mz4fu1/JKP_india_tillman_portrait.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1655831121/acpsk12vaus/ul4e6blezxyd23mz4fu1/JKP_india_tillman_portrait.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1655831121/acpsk12vaus/ul4e6blezxyd23mz4fu1/JKP_india_tillman_portrait.jpg","width":2200}])
Mrs. India Tillman, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Tillman began her career in 2003 teaching 4th and 5th grade for five years with Fairfax County Public Schools at William Halley Elementary. During her time in Fairfax, she also served as a team leader and mentor teacher. She moved to Texas in 2007 to take care of her family and began teaching 4th and 5th grade at Brandenburg Elementary School for the Irving Independent School District. In addition to teaching at Brandenburg for three years, she was a Cooperating Teacher for a student-teacher as well as a member of the Campus Improvement Plan Committee. In 2012, she was promoted to Testing Facilitator for Atherton Elementary in the Arlington Independent School District. During her eight years with Atherton, she also served in roles as an Instructional Leadership Team Member, Science and Reading Vertical Alignment Team Lead, PBIS Tier 2 Lead, Assessment Committee Team Member, Gifted and Talented Liaison, All-Star Ladies Club Sponsor, as well as she taught ESL classes for adults in the evening.
Empowered with a strong desire to maximize her impact on her students and the community, Mrs. Tillman pursued a path of educational leadership and became a principal intern at Atherton Elementary for the 2017-18 school year. There, she supported teachers and staff to continue the school’s record of excellence, learned about practices that most greatly influenced student achievement, and developed instructional leadership skills to better serve the students and the district through collaboration with other school leaders.
Mrs. Tillman is a native of Chicago and currently resides in Alexandria with her husband. She has two adult children and one grandson that reside in Dallas, Texas. She earned a Bachelors’ Degree in Finance from Southern Illinois University and a Masters’ Degree in Elementary Education from National-Louis University. Mrs. Tillman’s favorite quote is “Intelligence plus character - that is the true goal of education” by Martin Luther King, Jr.
Phone: 703-461-4180
Email: india.tillman@acps.k12.va.us
Degrees and Certifications:
M.Ed. Elementary Education