What do you want to see in a new superintendent? Please explain where you think previous superintendents have succeeded and failed. Lastly, to what lengths would you go to make sure the right person is brought to Midland (salary, guaranteed number of years, etc.)?  I believe that selecting a superintendent is the single most important role of a school board member. This decision will directly impact our student outcomes and will be a vital step in improving MISD. Turning education around in our community will require a strong leader in the superintendent role. That person must be an authentic educator who has an enthusiasm for learning, children and people.   view article

What do you want to see in a new superintendent? Please explain where you think previous superintendents have succeeded and failed. Lastly, to what lengths would you go to make sure the right person is brought to Midland (salary, guaranteed number of years, etc.)?  The people of District 4 have made quite clear they want a superintendent that communicates effectively, listens to constituents, admits when he or she is wrong, shows fiscally responsibility and, most importantly, gets results. All of these things have been lacking not just in the office of the superintendent but the school board as a whole. I’ve already spoken with numerous teachers that have made their position clear they share the public’s frustrations. view article

The La Villa ISD Board of Trustees named Robert Muñoz the lone finalist for the school district’s superintendent position earlier this month. According to the school district, Muñoz was selected from a pool of more than 20 applicants from across the state, following a search conducted by Abelardo Saavedra, Daniel King and law firm O’Hanlon, Demerath, & Castillo.  The district highlighted Muñoz’s more than 25 years of experience in education, stating that he’s served as a teacher, coach, special programs coordinator, college and career director, CTE director, and director of special populations as well as principal of La Villa High School — a position previously held for nearly five years.    (24) view article

Clear Creek ISD’s board of trustees met virtually Sept. 21 with associates from national search firm Hazard, Young, Attea, & Associates, which was chosen to help the district select its next superintendent, and finalized the profile that will be used in the selection process.  In the month since the search formally began, the firm has planned the community engagement section of its research, learned about the district through meetings with relevant staff and community members, and executed a survey. The firm met with and analyzed responses from nearly 150 people, including board members; administrators; faculty, staff and support staff; parents; students; and community members. view article

The newest leader at Rio Vista ISD is no stranger to the district. Jaylynn Cauthen, who was officially named the district’s superintendent on Sept. 2 after 21 days as the lone finalist, graduated from Rio Vista High School in 2003.  “This is home for me,” Cauthen said. “Being back on campus with teachers I had as a student has been a really cool part.”  Cauthen received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and teaching from Texas State University in San Marcos. She received her master’s degree in educational leadership and superintendent certifications from Tarleton State University, and she is in her last year of the doctoral program.    (21) view article

The Clear Creek ISD board of trustees continued discussions related to the superintendent search Sept. 17, defining the 2020-21 superintendent targets to be used in the annual review process this spring during campus planning.  Targets are considered high-level criteria for annual use with the superintendent review process, Board President Laura DuPont said in an email to Community Impact Newspaper. The process of defining the targets happens every year and is closely aligned with implementation of the district’s strategic plan, DuPont wrote.  “The board has been doing some work over the last couple years to revise the timing of this process so it clearly feeds into the campus planning cycle, which typically begins in the early spring,” she added.    (18) view article

What Texarkana Independent School District stakeholders want in their next superintendent, as well as the district's strengths and challenges, were big topics of discussion Thursday. (Paywalled) view article

The Ector County ISD board of trustees on Tuesday night voted to extend Superintendent Scott Muri’s contact by one year, until June 2025, and give him a 2 percent raise.  Muri’s performance and evaluation were discussed in a closed session, after which the board voted unanimously to extend his contract and raise his salary from $295,000 a year to $300,900. The 2 percent raise was the same given to classroom teachers, the trustees said. view article

The board of trustees of the Zavalla Independent School District has contracted with Arrow Educational Services, Inc. to assist them in their search for a new superintendent. Arrow president/CEO Dr. Russell Marshall and lead consultant Jim Dunlap will conduct the search. Updates will be available on arrowsearchinc.com and TexasISD.com as the search progresses. view article

After a closed session, Ector County ISD trustees approved modifying Superintendent Scott Muri’s contract.  It was extended by a year to June 30, 2025.  The board also approved increasing his salary by 2 percent from $295,000 a year to $300,900.  The 2 percent increase was the same amount provided to classroom teachers, trustee Donna Smith said.  Retirement contributions will be increased from 60 to 80 percent.  Board member Tammy Hawkins said, “We’re glad to have you.”    (16) view article

A Donna superintendent went door to door to families in the district to deliver meals through the "Meals on Wheels" program on Monday. Hafedh Azaiez, the superintendent for Donna Independent School District said this is a chance to make sure students receive meals and an opportunity to talk with parents.   "I know that some of them don't have the means to go to the distribution of meals so we're trying to get as close as possible to them," Azaiez said.  Azaiez said the "Meals on Wheels" program will be available as long as parents apply for the service.  view article

Carroll ISD announced Sept. 15 it had named an interim superintendent amid its search for a permanent hire.  Former Frisco ISD Superintendent Jeremy Lyon will serve as the interim CISD superintendent starting Oct. 15. This move will allow for outgoing Superintendent David Faltys to transition to a special advisor role through the end of December ahead of his scheduled retirement.  “The Board is excited to have a leader like Dr. Lyon join our team during this important transition period,” CISD board President Michelle Moore said in a release. “He is personable, a good listener, and has experience leading a large district, which will serve him well as he steps into this temporary role. We believe he is an excellent choice to serve as interim.”  Firm Thompson & Horton is conducting the search for the district’s next leader as Lyon takes his temporary seat. Lyon retired from his FISD position in 2017, according to the district, with a total of 14 years of experience as superintendent.    (16) view article

The Midland ISD school board on Monday night selected someone with experience as an interim superintendent to lead the district this academic year.  After meeting in closed session for more than 4 ½ hours, the board, by a 5-1 vote, approved a motion Monday to approve the appointment of Ann Dixon as interim superintendent and authorize legal counsel to negotiate an agreement. Tommy Bishop was the lone vote against. John Trischitti III did not participate in the vote.   Should Dixon accept the position, she will replace Orlando Riddick, who is in the midst of termination proceedings. Board President Rick Davis told the Reporter-Telegram this weekend that the board anticipates an interim superintendent will remain with the district for the 2020-21 school year.     (15) view article

ActiveCare will now include four PPO options: the new ActiveCare Primary, ActiveCare HD (formerly 1-HD), ActiveCare Primary + (formerly Select) and ActiveCare 2, which is closed to new enrollees. There also will be three HMOs covering some regions of the state. The TRS board approved provider changes in February and the new premiums at its meeting last Friday.    (15) view article

AUSTIN (KXAN) — In-person learning will start one day earlier for the Austin Independent School District.  Austin ISD Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Elizalde announced Monday during a board meeting that in-person learning will start Monday, Oct. 5, not Tuesday, Oct. 6.  Elizalde gave brief descriptions of what the phased-in plan could look like for each school level but said more details are forthcoming and plans could be tweaked.  For elementary students, Elizalde said the district is hoping to welcome Pre-K and kindergarten students on campus first, since younger kids benefit the most from in-person learning. view article

Before David Hayward took over as superintendent of Damon ISD, the school district was running $200,000 to $250,000 over budget, so one of the first things he did was make cuts. view article

Should the Midland ISD board decide on an interim superintendent at its special meeting Monday, it will be a person that stays with the district for the balance of the school year.  That is the expectation of board President Rick Davis, who also stated this weekend that the board is looking not “for merely a caretaker, but someone who will move us forward this school year much like Rod Schroder did for the 2016-17 school year.” view article

BROWNSVILLE — The Texas State Teachers Association, Association of Brownsville Educators and the National Education Association started a petition on Change.org asking for a vote of no confidence for Brownsville Independent School District Superintendent Rene Gutierrez.The petition, which had received 600 signatures as of Friday afternoon, hopes to have Gutierrez removed from his position, claiming failure to effectively lead the school district prior to and during the coronavirus pandemic.  view article

Harlingen, Texas (KVEO)—The Association of Brownsville Educators (AOBE), along with the The Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA) and the National Education Association (NEA) created a petition asking for a vote of no confidence for Brownsville Independent School District (BISD)Superintendent Rene Gutierrez.  The petition says Gutierrez failed to effectively lead the school district prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. view article

AUSTIN, Texas - Dr. Stephanie Elizalde admits it’s an interesting time to become a superintendent in the middle of a pandemic.  However, she’s rolling up her sleeves and says she wants to hear from the community. “I think our goals during this era are going to have to first and foremost focus on health and safety,” said Elizalde. view article

The Fort Worth ISD school board unanimously voted Tuesday night to extend Superintendent Kent P. Scribner’s contract for an additional eight months, through Aug. 31, 2024.  Scribner’s salary will remain the same at $330,000, and the contract contains a potential annual bonus of $15,000 to $25,000, which Scribner has been offered in previous contracts. Scribner will receive the bonus at the discretion of the board, only if he meets the academic goals established by trustees, according to the contract.  This year, Scribner was awarded $25,000 for meeting those goals of improvement in early literacy, early math, and college, career, and military readiness, a district spokesman said.    ^ view article

The Thompson and Horton firm provided an updated timeline on the CISD superintendent search to the board of trustees during a special meeting on Thursday, September 3. Dr. David Thompson opened remarks by stating the position has already been posted to the Texas Association of School Administrators’ website, and they’ve already received inquiries from educators inside and outside of the state. Dr. Thompson says he and his partner Dr. Mike Moses also reached out to over 100 people requesting them to nominate considerations for the position.     (09) view article

Dr. Kelli Moulton has been with Galveston ISD for more than four years. Her last day is set for Jan. 29, 2021.    Galveston ISD Superintendent Dr. Kelli Moulton is set to retire at the end of January 2021, the district announced Thursday.  Moulton has been with Galveston ISD for more than four years. Her last day is set for Jan. 29, 2021.  Moulton joined Galveston ISD in July 2016 when two of its campuses were listed at a 5-year IR (Improvement Required) status by the Texas Education Agency. Since then, the district improved its academic accountability rating to 88 (B) out of 100 and earned an A or B for 10 of its 13 campuses in the 2018-2019 school year.    (11) view article

The Zavalla ISD Board of Trustees has chosen Arrow Employment Services to serve as a search firm in the hunt for a new superintendent.  Current Superintendent Ricky Oliver announced his retirement in June, and the board began preparing for the search for his successor.  The board met Thursday night to choose a search firm to assist in the hunt and heard representatives from Arrow, the Texas Association of School Boards and Largent & Associates. In an early August meeting, the board voted to find a search firm because it would give them a better chance of finding someone right for the district.  “In the end, we decided to go with Mr. Jim Dunlap with Arrow Educational Services,” board president James Barge said. “We just felt like he was probably a better pick for our group.”    (08) view article

PECOS, Texas — Brent Jaco, the new superintendent of schools at PBTISD, says he recognized when he stepped into this role that there was a big need to evaluate how the district functions.  Administrators want to make sure their systems in place and their curriculum are rock solid.  Jaco said with how much turnover there's been in leadership here that can sometimes leave a void that they want to close up.  view article

For the 48,000 students in San Antonio Independent School District, Ken Thompson is this year’s Most Valuable Player — even if many don’t yet know his name.  As the district’s Chief Information Technology Officer, Thompson usually plays a supporting role, enhancing the classroom experience with internet connectivity and the devices that go with that. Teachers filed the occasional request for support, and parents rarely called.  This year, on the first day of virtual school, Thompson and his help desk team fielded 1,400 calls, far more than the 100 calls on a typical first day of classes. view article

With school due to resume Tuesday, there's been yet another turnover in leadership for the DeSoto school district.  Interim Superintendent Don Hooper has resigned after several days of protests over controversial social media posts. During a special meeting Sunday, it was announced that Hooper would no longer work for the district.  The school board also unanimously rescinded the voluntary resignation D’Andre Weaver submitted last week.  Weaver sounded happy to be back as superintendent.    (08) view article

A Facebook page that matched Hooper's likeness showed politically-charged posts coupled with racially-charged posts. view article

And the hits keep on coming in DeSoto ISD, between an actual fire at their warehouse that destroyed this years PPE supply to the sudden resignation of Dr. Weaver, today the acting Superintendent is in the news. Yesterday, DeSoto ISD parents discovered and shared racially insensitive posts from Dr. Don Hooper’s Facebook page. view article

Former DeSoto Independent School District Superintendent D'Andre Weaver issued a statement Monday after he abruptly resigned from the position.   In the statement, he lists his accomplishments during his tenure. He said he rebuilt the district from the previous problems he inherited and developed connections in the community.  view article

Parents and even city leaders are looking for answers after the sudden resignation of Desoto ISD Superintendent D’Andre Weaver.  Anytime someone resigns there will be questions. Expect more head-scratching when the resignation comes on a Sunday, in an emergency board meeting, and several school board members don’t seem happy about it.  “I am disappointed by this,” board member Aubrey Cooper said. view article

MIDLAND, Texas (KOSA) - Midland ISD’s school board made two major decisions in a meeting Monday night.  The school board voted to place superintendent Orlando Riddick on administrative leave.  This decision comes a week after the board chose to terminate Riddick’s contract early.  The school board also named MISD Chief Financial Officer Darrell Dodds as acting superintendent.    (01) view article

At last night’s special called DeSoto ISD Board meeting, there was a 4-3 vote to accept Superintendent Weaver’s resignation. DeSoto ISD had been under fire due to the misuse of funds under previous administration. TEA released their results over a week ago, and DeSoto residents have been vocal about the need to move forward and put the children first.    (01) view article

Lake Travis is planning to extend virtual learning until Sept. 21. Superintendent Paul Norton joined KVUE to discuss the district's decision. view article

McAllen ISD Superintendent J.A. Gonzalez is in the running for state Superintendent of the Year award, the Texas Association of School Boards announced Monday.  Gonzalez was nominated for the award and selected as one of five finalists from across the state, hailing from districts in Corpus Christi, Newton, Denton and Alpine in addition to McAllen.  “On behalf of the McAllen School Board and our district staff, I would like to congratulate Dr. Gonzalez for this incredible honor, and it is (well-deserved),” School Board President Conrado Alvarado wrote in a statement released by the school district Tuesday. view article