DMPS will have 12 new principals this year. Get to know them here:

Des Moines Public Schools students at 12 schools will see new principals come the first day of school.

The new hires include the return of a previous principal and three administrators moving to new positions within Iowa's largest school district.

“We are committed to positioning leaders where they will have the greatest impact on equity and student success,” Des Moines Superintendent Ian Roberts said in a news release. “We have great faith in their ability to lead and transform a school environment to one where every student can achieve academic and behavioral excellence.”

Keep reading to meet Des Moines schools new and returning principals:

Melissa Sambu, Jesse Franklin Taylor Education Center

Melissa Sambu has been named the first principal of Jesse Franklin Taylor Education Center.

Sambu started her career at Meskwaki Settlement School as a kindergarten teacher in Tama before moving to Des Moines schools in 2006. Sambu ― who focused on early childhood in the district from the beginning ― has served as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, literacy coach and a teaching and learning coach.

For the past four years, she has served as associate principal of the education center.

Sambu finished her undergraduate work at Minnesota State University in Mankato and earned a master's degree in educational administration from Iowa State University in Ames.

Jessica Parson, Mitchell Early Learning Center

Jessica Parsons is Mitchell Early Learning Center's new principal.

Parsons brings with her 20 years of experience in early childhood education, including 15 years in leadership roles. She started her career in the Ames Community School District in 2004 and was hired at Des Moines schools in 2006 as a classroom teacher before taking a position as an instructional coach and later a building administrator at Mitchell in 2020.

Parsons holds a master of education degree in pre-K-12 educational leadership and administration from Iowa State University. Additionally, she has dual bachelor of arts degrees in elementary and early childhood education/special education from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.

Zoe Hauptmann, McKee Education Center

Zoe Hauptmann is the new principal of McKee Education Center.

Hauptmann began her career as an early childhood special education teacher at McKee and later became an early childhood instructional coach.

She holds two master of science degrees in educational leadership and culturally proficient leadership and instruction from Drake University. She completed her undergraduate work in elementary and early childhood education at the University of Northern Iowa.

Jessica Schmeiser, Woodlawn Education Center

Jessica Schmeiser is the new Woodlawn Education Center principal.

Schmeiser comes to Des Moines schools from the West Des Moines Community School District where she worked as an early childhood behavior interventionist and the Heartland Area Education Association where she served as a school psychologist.

Schmeiser has a master’s degree and a specialist degree in school psychology from Minnesota State University in Moorhead. She completed her undergraduate work in human development and family science at North Dakota State University in Fargo.

Michael Gossen, Cowles Montessori School

Michael Gossen will serve as principal of Cowles Montessori School. Gossen takes over for Todd Johnson, who will become the principal at Pleasant Hill Elementary School.

Gossen has more than a decade of school leadership experience as an assistant principal and principal in the Mount Pleasant Community School District in Mount Pleasant where he managed two elementary schools.

Gossen has a bachelor's degree in music education from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and a master's degree in science educational leadership and a doctor of philosophy from Drake University.

Todd Johnson, Pleasant Hill Elementary

Todd Johnson will move to Pleasant Hill Elementary School after serving at Cowles Montessori School since 2017. Johnson takes over for Terrie Price, who will become an associate principal at Meredith Middle School.

He started his career as a teacher in Greenwood Village, Colorado, before moving back to Iowa to work at Des Moines Public Schools in 2009.

Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree from Wartburg College in Waverly and a master’s degree in education administration from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix.

Michelle Hurlburt, Downtown School

Michelle Hurlburt will move from Wright Elementary School to become principal at the Downtown School at Central Campus.

Before coming to Wright in 2015, she was the assistant director of curriculum and professional learning at Waukee Community School District.

Hurlburt started out as a Moulton Elementary third grade teacher before moving into academic intervention and the International Baccalaureate coordinator role at Hubbell Elementary School.

Hurlburt has a master’s degree in educational leadership from Viterbo University earned at its West Des Moines campus.

She also has bachelor’s degrees in psychology and elementary education from Simpson College in Indianola. She takes over for Greg Grylls, who temporarily filled the position in addition to his role as director of elementary schools.

Megan Cave, Wright Elementary

Megan Cave has been selected as Wright Elementary School's new principal. Cave has served as the associate principal at Lovejoy Elementary School since 2019.

She started her career at Des Moines schools in 2008 as a special education teacher at Park Avenue Elementary School. Later she moved to Carver Elementary School to serve as dean of students and special education consultant.

Cave holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Northern Iowa and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Renee Gelfond, Moore Elementary

Renee Gelfond returns to the district to serve as Moore Elementary School's principal after a year working as a coordinator of student services at Urbandale Community Schools.

Gelfond was hired in 2007 and spent eight years as the principal at Hillis Elementary School.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. Additionally, she has a master's degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages applied linguistics from Iowa State University and another in educational leadership from Drake University.

Gelfond replaces Mary Minard who retired after 35 years with the district.

Amy Laug, Brody Middle School

Amy Laug is the new principal at Brody Middle School following seven years as Walnut Street School's principal.

Laug started her career at Des Moines as a first grade teacher and went on to become an International Baccalaureate coordinator and dean of students at Walnut Street School.

Laug graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a bachelor's degree in elementary and early childhood education. She also holds a master's degree in educational leadership from the University of Iowa.

Laug steps into the role following the passing of Principal Thomas Hoffman in early June.

Related: Principal at Des Moines' Brody Middle School dies

Andrea Johnson, Weeks Middle School

Andrea Johnson joins Des Moines Public Schools from Kenwood Academy High School in Chicago where she has been an associate principal since 2020.

Her background includes work as the special education department chair, instructional leadership team lead, city-wide consulting educator, and school bilingual services coordinator. Johnson has international teaching experience as a language arts teacher at Triple C School in the Cayman Islands.

Johnson holds a doctor of education degree in teaching and learning disability and equity in education from National Louis University in Chicago. She has master's degrees in educational leadership from Roosevelt University in Chicago and another in special education from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

She completed her undergraduate studies in English education at Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana.

Praveen Bannikatti, Virtual Campus

Praveen Bannikatti has been appointed principal of Virtual Campus where he has served as interim principal/director since 2023.

Bannikatti began at Des Moines Public Schools in 2008 as a North High School social science teacher and served as an associate principal at North, East, and Roosevelt high schools.

Bannikatti holds a bachelor of science in psychology from Iowa State University, and master’s degrees in teaching from Drake University and educational administration from Iowa State University in Ames.

Samantha Hernandez covers education for the Register. Reach her at (515) 851-0982 or svhernandez@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @svhernandez or Facebook at facebook.com/svhernandezreporter .

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: DMPS will have 12 new principals this year. Get to know them here: