New leadership announced for Burrell and Lake Belton Middle School

Belton ISD has announced new leadership for two campuses for the 2025-2026 school year.

Cheyenne Babb has been named principal of James L. Burrell Elementary. With more than a decade of experience in public education, Babb has served as both a teacher and campus administrator across multiple grade levels. Most recently, she served as principal at Rockdale Junior High which was recognized as a Student Voice Campus through the Texas Association of School Administrators.

A graduate of Lubbock Christian University, Babb holds both a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and a master’s degree in school administration. She is certified as a PK-12 principal and EC-6 classroom teacher.

“Cheyenne leads with a focus on student success—fostering strong relationships, empowering teachers and building a campus culture where each and every learner can thrive.” said Denise Sharp, Executive Director of Campus Leadership for Elementary Campuses. “Her passion for student and teacher voice as well as academic growth will serve Burrell Elementary and the Belton ISD community well.”

Babb succeeds Julee Manley, who has transitioned to a new role within the district as the Early Literacy and Learning Academy Administrator.

Belton ISD is also excited to announce that Rachel Ramirez has been named principal of Lake Belton Middle School. Ramirez brings 18 years of public education experience from Hereford and Lockhart ISDs, including the past nine years as an assistant principal and interim principal. She is known for her ability to build strong, lasting partnerships with students, staff and families.

Originally hired to serve as an assistant principal at Lake Belton Middle School, Ramirez quickly stepped into campus leadership this summer and has already begun leading the team—most recently during a campus planning retreat at Baylor University.

“Rachel has hit the ground running at Lake Belton Middle School,” said Ben Smith, Executive Director of Campus Leadership for Secondary Campuses. “She leads with empathy, clarity and a collaborative spirit that motivates those around her. I’m confident her leadership will strengthen the great things already happening at LBMS.”

Ramirez holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from West Texas A&M University, a master’s degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages from Grand Canyon University, and a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. She is a certified principal, a Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System evaluator and a graduate of the Principal Leadership Academy through N2Learning.



Both Ramirez and Babb officially began their new roles on Monday, August 4, and are already working closely with their campus teams to ensure a strong start to the school year.