Our Principal's Message

MOST RECENT KIKER COMMENTS -  March 21, 2023

Hello, my name is Cory Matheny and I am the proud Principal of Bernice Kiker Elementary. It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the Kiker Community. We believe that ALL Kiker Comets can learn and become successful academically, physically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally. We focus on the core values of Integrity, Resiliency, Compassion, Courage, and Connection.

A little bit about me: I was born and raised in California, but headed off to Arizona for college.  I graduated from The University of Arizona with a degree in Elementary Education.  I have taught Kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, and multi-age classes of K/1st and 1st/2nd over my sixteen wonderful years in the classroom.  My husband and I moved to Austin in 2009 with our two children.  I was hired at Nan Clayton Elementary, right down the road, and worked there for eleven amazing years.  During my time at Clayton, I went back to school and earned my Master’s Degree from the University of Texas.  I then served the Clayton campus as Assistant Principal for four years before heading here, to be the proud principal of Bernice Kiker Elementary. I have loved working with the kind, passionate, and generous families in the Circle C area and I am thrilled to maintain my close ties with the community and continue in my third year at Bernice Kiker Elementary.  

My kids, who are products of AISD schools, are now 18 and 21.  My daughter is a senior at LASA high school and my son is a senior studying film at Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, GA.  My husband is a former coach and teacher who is now a curriculum writer and professional speaker in the field of Social and Emotional Learning.  We also have a loud but sweet beagle named Snoopy.

I welcome you to our amazing campus and I look forward to partnering with you on your students’ educational journey. At Kiker we believe that every child should feel loved by his/her teacher and feel that they are an integral part of our school community.

My Why:  To lead a campus that focuses on the whole child through relationships, Social and Emotional Learning, and differentiated instruction so that ALL students can be successful.