After more than three decades in classrooms, district and campus administration, Mullendore Elementary Principal Merritt Dobecka has announced her retirement. Dobecka has served as the principal of Mullendore for the past six years and has served in multiple capacities in education since 1993. 

“We are deeply grateful for the leadership and commitment that Merritt has brought to Mullendore and Birdville ISD,” said Dr. Kristi Strickland, Executive Director of Campus Support. “Merritt has dedicated her career to serving students and supporting excellence in education. She has made an extraordinary impact on generations of students over the course of her career that has spanned more than 30 years.”

Under her leadership, Dobecka helped guide Mullendore through a rebuild of its campus, which opened in August 2025 as Birdville ISD’s first elementary preparatory Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering (STEM) academy. Prior to serving as the principal of Mullendore, Dobecka was the assistant principal and campus behavior coordinator at Walker Creek Elementary from 2017-2020. 

In addition to her roles at Mullendore and Walker Creek, Dobecka served as a BISD advanced academic interventionist from 2014-2017. Prior to joining BISD, she worked as a gifted and talented curriculum specialist and assistant principal in Northwest ISD. She has also served in Grand Prairie and Grapevine-Colleyville ISDs. 

Dobecka will continue as principal of Mullendore through the end of the 2025-26 school year.