Legacy Ranch Middle School Staff Ready for Students

When school starts Aug. 12, Legacy Ranch Middle School (LRMS) will officially open in the building that previously housed Legacy Ranch High School. About 600 students and 60 staff members will begin the year at the new campus. While the building is the same, the students, teachers and staff will be different, with a mix of new and familiar faces. We sat down with several key staff members to learn more about them and what excites them about opening LRMS.

Peter Bongard, Principal

The inaugural principal of LRMS is Peter Bongard. He has worked in education for 17 years, including the past five at Liberty Hill High School. Trading his purple polos for Wrangler gear, Bongard is most excited to serve the community where he lives. The Bongard family has three children at Santa Rita Elementary School.

Starting a new school means developing a culture from day one, and for Bongard, that culture begins with the people in the building. He believes everyone, including LRMS families, plays a role in creating that culture. As a former Panther, he knows the LHISD vision of “building champions in academics, character and community.” He also recognizes that building champions extends beyond academic content.

Throughout the hiring process, Bongard has stressed three expectations for his staff: Students should be at the forefront of every decision, continuous improvement requires a growth mindset, and educators must focus on the whole person. “We are here to teach them — academics, but also life skills, emotional skills and street-smart skills,” he said.

As he makes the transition from high school to middle school, Bongard recognizes the developmental importance of sixth through eighth grades. “You get to see the growth and transition that happens here,” he said. “There are a lot of things that are changing within them, and we get to help them along the way as they learn who they are and what they can do.”

Ryne Foster, Assistant Principal

Ryne Foster will serve as an LRMS assistant principal and will be a familiar face to many students from Santa Rita Middle School where he served in the same role previously. He is beginning his 19th year in education, including the past seven with LHISD.

As an assistant principal, his primary responsibilities will include student behavior, campus safety and evaluations for one-third of the LRMS teaching staff.

Foster is most excited about the opportunity to build a culture from the ground up while serving in a leadership role. He also loves that he gets to do it at a middle school.

“I’m eccentric and awkward enough to relate to middle school students in the most awkward time of their lives,” he said.

Isabela Lindley, Counselor

Isabela Lindley is also coming to LRMS from Santa Rita Middle School and will continue to serve students as a counselor. She has a background in social work and is beginning her third year in education.

Her responsibilities will include student scheduling, field trip planning, preparation for high school classes and helping students navigate social and emotional concerns, including conflicts with their peers.

When asked what she loves about middle school students, Lindley said, “They are starting to figure out who they are and who they want to be. Because of that, you can influence them in really positive ways.”

Bridget Parsons and Wendy Guerrero, Band Directors

The LRMS Wrangler Band will be led by new directors Bridget Parsons and Wendy Guerrero. Both are new to Liberty Hill but bring experience teaching middle school band. They previously worked together in Frenship ISD.

Together, they will teach everything from beginner band — including how to properly open an instrument case — to honors band, which will prepare eighth-grade students to join the marching band at LRHS.

Parsons knows band is about much more than playing an instrument.

“It teaches self-discipline, teamwork and critical thinking,” she said.

Band students will have opportunities to perform as a pep band at an LRMS football game, participate in the LRHS football season’s middle school night and present spring concerts for family and friends.

Both teachers are also focused on building a strong culture within the band. That goal is especially meaningful to Guerrero, who joined the band in middle school after moving from the Dominican Republic to Texas.

For Guerrero, band provided a welcoming place in an unfamiliar school.“ My director just made me feel so included,” she said. “Even with a language barrier, he was so welcoming.”

That culture includes an unofficial band mascot: the duck. According to the directors, ducks are versatile, flock together to accomplish more and remain poised even when they are working hard beneath the surface.

LRMS band families should prepare for duck season. The program will feature duck decorations and a “Duck Day” celebrating everyone who contributes to the LRMS band.

Reyna Faught, Administrative Assistant

Reyna Faught is joining the LRMS staff as Bongard’s administrative assistant. She has a background in business management and has spent the past year and a half working with students at Santa Rita Middle School.

Faught enjoys working on a middle school campus because of her love for students at that age. “They come in as these little children from elementary,” she said, “and they go off to high school as big kids.”

In her role, Faught will help manage campus budgets, oversee hourly employees, coordinate supplies and support Bongard.

Claudia Sandoval, Registrar

Claudia Sandoval joins the LRMS staff as she begins her 28th year with Liberty Hill ISD. She has served in several front-office roles at Liberty Hill Elementary School and most recently worked in the emergent bilingual department at the Central Administration Office.

Sandoval brings extensive experience in Liberty Hill, along with a strong understanding of special programs, including special education, and the resources available to multilingual families. As registrar, Sandoval will oversee student registration and attendance. She is excited to return to a campus and work directly with students and families.

As Legacy Ranch Middle School opens its doors, its new staff is focused on building more than a campus — they are creating a culture where students can grow, connect and succeed. With a mix of experience, enthusiasm and familiar faces, the LRMS team is ready to welcome its first group of Wranglers on Aug. 12, 2026.