Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox to retire in December 2025

September 2008:56 AM

 

After a remarkable tenure of leadership and dedication, Dr. James E. Wilcox, Superintendent of Schools for Longview ISD, has announced his retirement, effective December 31, 2025.   Dr. Wilcox's decision to retire is driven by his and his wife's desire "to embark on new adventures," as well as to allow the LISD Board of Trustees "ample time to chart the future course of the district."  "I will give every ounce of leadership and caring to our students until my last day with LISD," he said. "I want the parents of our students to know that I truly do appreciate them sharing their most prized possession and God's greatest gift to us all: their children." view article

Last month, trustees approved the hiring of Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Russo and Kyle, a firm based in Austin, as a consultant and search firm to help the district in the process of hiring a new leader. According to district officials, Vann’s contract with Boyd ISD ends in May 2024. He has yet to address his future plans publicly at a school board meeting. Vann, a retired educator and former superintendent, was named the district’s interim superintendent following the resignation of former superintendent Tamara Vardy in May 2022, and officially took the reins as Boyd ISD’s full-time superintendent in March. Vann also previously served as the district’s interim superintendent after former superintendent Ted West departed for Electra in 2019. The new search for a new superintendent will be Boyd’s third since Vardy’s resignation. The district terminated its contract with its former search firm — Education Solutions and Services — in January following the withdrawal of former lone finalist Hector Madrigal, who previously led Karnes City ISD. Madrigal was hired as the new leader at Ferris ISD in October 2022. view article

Midland Public Schools sent out a request for proposal to search firms as an early step toward hiring a new superintendent, and considered a contract with an AI-based weapon surveillance agency.  During a regularly scheduled board meeting on Monday, Board Vice President Phil Rausch said the request for proposal was sent out to five search firms: Michigan Association of School Boards; Michigan Leadership Institute; Ray and Associates; Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates; and SchoolExecConnect. It was also posted on the MPS website and on SIGMA, the state of Michigan’s request for proposal site. The deadline for search firms to respond to the school district is 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6. view article

The Anahuac Independent School District announced that Cody Abshier will serve as interim superintendent. Abshier, a former AISD teacher and administrator, will serve until a permanent replacement is found for Dennis Wagner, who resigned last week via a district-wide email. Earlier this month, Wagner sent out an email district wide informing everyone that he was leaving his position as the school district’s top administrator. Abshier has served at AISD in the past as a teacher and administrator. After leaving Anahuac, Abshier was the superintendent at both Devers ISD and then Liberty ISD. He retired from Liberty ISD last December. view article

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) -On Tuesday night, the Ector County ISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to extend the contract of Superintendent Dr. Scott Muri through June 2028.  School board president Chris Stanley said after the meeting,  “We are pleased with our district’s academic growth and the visionary leadership he has brought to our schools. By voting to extend his contract, we are sending a strong message of support regarding the direction of our district.”  Dr. Muri serves public education throughout the State of Texas and the nation in his roles as the Vice Chairman of the State Board for Educator Certification, member of the Texas Broadband Development Office Board of Advisors, and member of the Board of Directors for Chiefs for Change. He has been invited to testify numerous times before the Texas House and Senate as well as the United States Congress. view article

(Seguin) — The Seguin ISD has chosen a direction that it would like to go while conducting its superintendent search.  That direction includes appointing Dr. Veronica Vijil, Seguin ISD’s current deputy superintendent as the interim superintendent effective Oct. 2.  During a special meeting on Wednesday, Seguin ISD Trustees discussed its plans to officially appoint Dr. Vijil to the position during its upcoming Sept. 26 regular school board meeting.  They say trustees are prioritizing stability as Superintendent Dr. Matthew Gutierrez transitions to his new role in Leander ISD at the end of the month.  Seguin ISD Board President Alejandro Guerra stated that “Seguin ISD continues to move forward as a destination district and the goal is to maintain that momentum” as they begin the process of filling the superintendent seat with an effective, compassionate leader. view article

Ingleside ISD Superintendent Troy Mircovich announced his upcoming retirement. According to an Ingleside ISD news release, Mircovich and the district have reached an agreement to allow him the ability to have more time with his family and possibly pursue other interests. The Ingleside ISD Board of Trustees plans to begin a search for a new superintendent. view article

After seven years in the Texas Hill Country and 37 years in education, a local school district superintendent is hanging up his hat for a more laid back lifestyle.  Boerne Independent School District Superintendent Thomas Price is set to retire this year, sparking a nationwide search for his replacement. The district opted to employ the Texas Association of School Boards’ Executive Search Services to track down Price’s replacement. The group is the same agency which brough Price to Boerne. view article

SAN BENITO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The San Benito Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees voted and placed their superintendent on administrative leave Friday. In a meeting held at San Benito CISD administration building, the district’s Board of Trustees discussed the review of the superintendent of schools Theresa Servellon’s duties and employment contract. Servellon has been on the job exactly one year and has a three-year contract with the district. “I was hoping it wouldn’t be that it just wouldn’t happen that they were going to evaluate her and do the right thing,” Rosalinda Garcia, a resident of San Benito said. The board was in executive session for more than an hour and when they came out, four out of the seven board members approved a motion to place Servellon on administrative leave. Members appointed Fred Perez, the district’s Director of Federal Programs, as acting superintendent. view article

The Hutto ISD board of trustees voted Aug. 31 to hire Raúl Peña as its new superintendent. Peña is from El Paso, and holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership & Policy, both from The University of Texas, and earned his Master of Education in School Administration from Texas Woman’s University. Peña also completed the Harvard National Institute for Urban School Leaders. Previously, he worked in Fort Worth and Dallas ISDs. Community Impact spoke with him about his plans for his first year as Hutto ISD's superintendent as well as his professional background. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. view article

Dr. David Young announced his retirement from the Abilene Independent School District Tuesday. In a letter to his Abilene ISD family, Young said he will retire at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. Young has been an educator for 29 years in the Texas public education system and has been in his current role for nine years, beginning Aug. 20, 2015. view article

Westwood Independent School District’s Superintendent Wade Stanford has been named as a State Finalist for 2023 Superintendent of the Year. "The entire Westwood School community, from the board, to our devoted staff and aspiring students, bursts with pride as we celebrate Wade Stanford's well-deserved recognition as one of the esteemed final five contenders for TASB Superintendent of the Year,” said Dr. Carolyn Booker, President of the WISD Board of Trustees. “His unwavering commitment to excellence has ignited a flame of inspiration that fuels our collective journey towards educational greatness." Stanford is one of five finalists. The other finalists are Martha Salazar-Zamora of Tomball ISD, Region 4; Jim F. Chadwell, Mountain-Saginaw ISD, Region 11; Sheri Blankenship, Hereford ISD, Region 16; and Jose Rafael Lopez, Kermit ISD, Region 18. view article

After four years of service, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Clark Ealy announced his retirement from Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District. Dr. Ealy's last day in the district will be January 31, 2024. The Board of Trustees are set to accept Dr. Early's resignation and begin discussions on a search for the next superintendent at a board meeting on Tuesday, September 12. view article

Seguin ISD Superintendent Matthew Guiterrez is sharing his gratitude and heartfelt thanks to all those in the Matador Family. After six plus years, Gutierrez will be leaving the Seguin ISD at the end of this month to accept a position as the chief of schools in the Leander ISD. Gutierrez made the announcement to families and staff Thursday evening. By late that evening and early Friday morning, the reality of it all, he says, was beginning to be clear as he begins this journey of goodbye. view article

HOUSTON COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — Malinda Lindsey, superintendent of Kennard Independent School District, has announced her retirement from education.  Lindsey has been in education since 1991 and calls her experience over the years a blessing.  “This is the hardest decision I have ever had to make,” said Lindsey. “Kennard ISD has been the capstone of my career.”  After eight years as superintendent her retirement will go into effect Dec. 31, 2023. view article

AN BENITO — About a year after the San Benito school district’s past school board hired Superintendent Theresa Servellon on a split vote, the new board of trustees is planning to discuss her contract. Board members are set consider Servellon’s contract and “employment agreement” during a special meeting at noon Friday. On Sept. 5, officials posted the meeting’s agenda calling for “discussion and consideration of superintendent’s duties/responsibilities and the superintendent’s contract/employment agreement.” The agenda calls for board members to meet in a closed-door meeting before considering taking action. After the meeting’s agenda was posted Sept. 5, board President Orlando Lopez declined comment. view article

Hutto ISD Names Dr. Raúl Peña Lone Finalist for Superintendent

September 0608:40 AM

 

After a lengthy process of gathering stakeholder input, a nationwide search which included the review of 54 applicants, and a comprehensive interview process of the top applicants, the Hutto ISD School Board is pleased to announce Dr. Raúl Peña as the lone finalist for Superintendent of the Hutto Independent School District.  Dr. Peña currently holds the position of Chief Talent Officer at Fort Worth ISD, serving more than 75,000 students and 11,000 employees. A lifelong, bilingual educator, Dr. Peña has a proven record of school improvement, authentic community engagement and high-quality instructional practices.   A believer in the power of collective forces working together to influence change, he has dedicated his life to supporting families and students. As an English learner himself, he recognizes the needs of students and their parents who are learning English as a second language. He approaches every relationship through the lens of inclusivity, respect, gratitude and humility. view article

New KISD leader may be changing some ‘mindsets’ if needed

September 0608:35 AM

 

After being hired by the Killeen school board earlier this summer, Killeen ISD Superintendent Jo Ann Fey is in her first official school year overseeing KISD’s 45,000 students, thousands of employees and an annual budget of about half a billion dollars.  At age 52, she is the district’s first woman in the role. Fey signed a $325,000 contract on June 26, the same day KISD held a news conference welcoming her aboard. view article

HISD trustees voted unanimously to select Pena, Fort Worth ISD's chief talent officer, as the next superintendent to lead HISD, following the departure of former Superintendent Celina Estrada Thomas. How we got here In May, Estrada Thomas announced her retirement, prompting a superintendent search guided by community involvement. She was first hired in 2017, seeing the district through a period of high growth and the COVID-19 pandemic. view article

(AUSTIN) — The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) is pleased to announce that five public school superintendents have been selected as state finalists for the annual Superintendent of the Year (SOTY) award, a program that has been recognizing exemplary school leaders since 1984.  view article

The board of trustees of the Anderson-Shiro CISD has contracted with Arrow Educational Services, Inc. to assist them in their search for a new superintendent. Arrow Lead Consultant/COO Jim Dunlap and President/CEO Dr. Russell Marshall will conduct the search. The deadline for applications is Friday, October 13, 2023. More information including timeline is available at www.arrowsearchinc.com and the TASA website. read more

The Midlothian ISD Board of Trustees unanimously named Dr. David Belding as the Lone Finalist for Superintendent of Schools and the district’s next leader. “Through the process of selecting a new superintendent, the board has remained committed to finding a leader who aligns with our vision, mission and priorities outlined in our Balanced Scorecard,” said MISD Board President Tami Tobey. “Dr. Belding brings a plethora of experience that aligns with the feedback we have received from our community and staff.” view article

CYPRESS, Texas — We’ve been telling you about the KHOU 11 back-to-school survey. We’re putting it out there so we can understand what’s important to parents and teachers as another school year gets underway. We're taking your feedback directly to Houston-area superintendents. This Thursday, KHOU 11's Jason Miles sits down with Cy-Fair ISD Superintendent Dr. Mark Henry. view article

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Deborah Gist has announced her resignation just days into the new school year.  The announcement arrives at a pivotal juncture, as the State Board of Education is set to vote on the district's accreditation status. That status has been a point of contention the last few weeks from State Superintendent Ryan Walters, accusing district leaders of failing schools, students and making accusations of financial mismanagement.  "My commitment right now is that despite all of this effort to distract us, which has been going on for years, we're going to stay focused," Gist said in an interview earlier this month prior to the start of the school year.  Gist said in a letter Tuesday her departure is an effort to safeguard the district's autonomy and democratic leadership in the face of looming accreditation considerations. view article

The Brenham School Board adopted the school district budget and tax rate and selected a firm to conduct the search for a new superintendent at a four-hour meeting on Monday. The total budget of $60,839,217 was passed on a 5-2 vote, with trustees Kyle Hafner and Archer Archer voting against. The tax rate of $0.7693 per $100 valuation was approved unanimously. The budget comes with an estimated revenue shortfall of $4,580,194. It assumes no enrollment growth from the end of this past school year and does not include pay raises for teachers. During a public hearing that lasted about 45 minutes, trustees commented on the difficulty of the situation. Hafner wanted to see if there were any more places the district could make reductions, while Archer called the deficit “scary” and said he could not support a budget in this manner. view article

Dr. Norman Ricketts Hall, age 100, of McQueeney, Texas, passed away on August 15, 2023. A memorial service will be held at the First Methodist Church in Seguin at 10:30 on Friday, August 25, with the Reverend Ray Perales officiating. A reception will follow in Hierholzer Hall. Interment will be held at a later date at the Old Killeen City Cemetery. Norman was born October 2, 1922, to Dock and Lola Hall in their home in Bell County. He attended schools in Killeen, graduating from Killeen High School. He attended college and graduate school at Texas A&M. He earned his Doctorate at Colorado State Teachers College. He married Billye Murlyne Barr, and they moved to Atascadero, California. Norman served in the United States Army and retired from the reserve years later as a Major. Norman and Billye traveled extensively, visiting over 100 countries and numerous islands. He served as superintendent of schools in Lampasas, Andrews, Huffman, Round Rock, and Richard Milburn Academy view article

La Joya ISD trustees named Wednesday current Interim Superintendent Beto Gonzalez lone finalist for the permanent post just 12 days before a Texas Education Agency hearing that will determine whether or not the state intervenes at the district. Some trustees expressed criticism of the search process and the prospect of naming a finalist prior to and during the meeting. Trustee Roberto Zamora voted against the motion, while Mary T. Hernandez abstained and Alda T. Benavides was absent. She was being named lone superintendent finalist herself at Edcouch-Elsa at the time. view article

he Edcouch-Elsa ISD Board of Trustees unanimously named Alda T. Benavides lone finalist for the position of superintendent Wednesday. Benavides has served as the district’s interim superintendent since the departure of former superintendent Gregory Rodriguez in January. view article

GEORGETOWN, Texas — Georgetown ISD is staring its new school year with a new superintendent. Dr. Devin Padavil served as superintendent of Taylor ISD for the past four years. He started at Georgetown ISD on Monday, Aug. 7, a little over a week before the first day of classes on Aug. 17. Padavil said he hit the ground running and plans on finding out what families want to see out of the district. "You can tell that there is a sense of just absolute joy and care for our students. People in Georgetown see the person first before they see the student. And that's what we're really about," Padavil said. Since he got to Georgetown, Padavil said he's already gone around to as many campuses as he could, meeting all the people he can. Related Articles Families concerned after Georgetown ISD makes changes to bus routes Taylor ISD superintendent named lone finalist for Georgetown ISD superintendent Dr. Devin Padavil hired as next superintendent for Georgetown ISD He said his first year will be about listening, learning and understanding what makes Georgetown unique and where the community wants to grow and evolve the district. "Georgetown was a school district before Devin came here to be superintendent, and it's going to be, it's going to continue to be a school district," Padavil said. "But the thing a leader brings to the table is being able to figure out what is our path towards continuously improving." Padavil said he plans on hosting listening sessions for students, parents, teachers and community members to express what they want out of the district. On top of that, he encourages anyone to speak up about what they want. He also shared a message to Georgetown ISD students to have a great first day: view article

The Edcouch-Elsa ISD Board of Trustees unanimously named Alda T. Benavides lone finalist for the position of superintendent Wednesday. Benavides has served as the district’s interim superintendent since the departure of former superintendent Gregory Rodriguez in January. view article

Anderson-Shiro -  ASCISD superintendent announces retirement

August 1709:00 AM

 

ANDERSON – Anderson- Shiro Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees begin the search for a new superintendent. Current superintendent, Scott Benne, formally announced his retirement at district convocation Aug. 7. His final day is Sept. 30. “I personally believe that 7 years is about the right amount of time to stay at the helm of an organization like ours,” said Beene. “I am very proud of the work we have accomplished. I believe new leadership and a new perspective will build on our legacy of success and bring new ideas to the table.” Beene has 17 years of superintendent experience. Prior to coming to Anderson- Shiro in June 2016, he served as superintendent of Murchison ISD and Big Sandy ISD. He also taught Agriculture Science at Madisonville CISD and La Poyner ISD before being named LaPoyner Elementary principal. view article

LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) - The outgoing Lufkin ISD superintendent will receive 10 months of pay as she takes an extended leave of absence before her term ends. Lufkin ISD Board President, Kristi Gay said, “we knew that we needed to do something and do it quickly and set the tone for the year going forward.” It was revealed last week that Superintendent Lynn Torres altered her original retirement plan. In May, Torres had announced her intention to retire after her 47 years in education. Torres asked to be placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits through the end of the 2023-24 school year. On Tuesday, the Lufkin ISD Board of Trustees unanimously granted Torres a 10-month contract that also includes full benefits, effective immediately. view article

The summer months can be a time when Independent School Districts have to recruit and hire new staff for all levels. Vega ISD has hired a new superintendent after its previous superintendent left to take the same position at a smaller-sized school. ABC 7 News learned and reports why Vega ISD elected to go the route of hiring an interim leader.

Lufkin ISD superintendent Lynn Torres submitted a request to the board of trustees Friday morning to be placed on administrative leave through the end of the 2023-24 school year, with full pay and benefits. While confirming the request, Wayne Haglund, staff attorney for the district, said the move had no connection to the controversy about the content of Monday's convocation for staff members during which a Prince impersonator performed. view article

MANOR, Texas (KXAN) — Manor ISD kicks off the school year with a superintendent in his first full academic year on the job, and 89 teachers working on visas to help the district meet its staffing needs. The district starts the year having scored a “C” during its 2022 state assessment. While school progress stood out as an area of achievement, the score for STAAR Performance struggled. NEXT: Set for School Superintendent Dr. Robert Sormani said the district is “ground zero” in the battle with charter schools over students as Manor ISD finished last school year with 9,255 students enrolled, which is less than had been projected. Sormani talked with KXAN about a variety of back-to-school issues ranging from staffing to safety to academic achievement ahead of the next school year. view article