The Round Rock ISD community, Westwood High School and Round Rock ISD’s Fine Arts Department honored one of their own over the weekend: Marla Valk, a longtime educator, mentor, and champion of dance education.
Valk dedicated her career to empowering students, supporting educators, and advancing the arts across the district. From 2019 to 2024, she served as Round Rock ISD’s dance and fine arts coordinator, helping over 21,000 students across all 55 campuses. In this leadership role, she oversaw staffing, professional development, curriculum development, and dance-related research that shaped key district decisions.
Her leadership helped reestablish Ballet Folklorico programming, launch ensemble dance teams and Movement for Athletes classes, and expand opportunities for elementary dance. Valk also founded the President’s Council, engaging all secondary fine arts booster organizations, and led the Middle School Dance Convention, which created meaningful and inclusive experiences for hundreds of students.
Before stepping into district leadership, Valk taught dance at Westwood High School from 1996 to 2021. Her impact in the classroom was profound, both in the number of students she inspired and the colleagues she mentored. Several of her dancers went on to join the prestigious Kilgore College Rangerettes—a reflection of the excellence she fostered in her programs.
“It is true what they say, that teachers have the greatest impact of anyone on our students,” said Erin Campbell, principal of Westwood High School. “As a student of Marla’s during her first four years at Westwood, she was influential in shaping my confidence, strengthening my work ethic and building my capacity for leadership. I would not have pursued education and would not be the principal of Westwood today without her presence in my life.”
Valk received the Texas Dance Educators Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021, recognizing her exceptional contributions to dance education statewide. She was also a member of the 2020–21 RRamp Up leadership cohort, a testament to her ongoing commitment to growth and collaboration. In a joint statement, the Round Rock ISD Fine Arts Department said Valk’s influence will be felt for generations.
“In honoring Marla Valk, we remember not only the inspiration she sparked in teachers and leaders in our district, but the way she made those around her feel– valued and seen. Her legacy lives on in the lives she touched and the spirit she brought to every moment.”
As Westwood High School and Round Rock ISD reflect on Marla Valk’s legacy, we celebrate not only her professional accomplishments but also the countless lives she shaped throughout her career.
