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Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Lancaster ISD selects lone finalist for superintendent position
Pamela Morris is currently employed as the Superintendent for the Sealy ISD.
The Lancaster ISD Board of Trustees announced Monday night that Pamela Morris is the "Lone Finalist" to become the new superintendent of Lancaster schools. (Morris is no relation to board president Carolyn Morris or Lancaster city councilwoman Nina Morris.) The vote was split 4-3, with Ellen Clark, Joe Kana, Irene Mejia, and Marjorie King supporting the choice; President Carolyn Morris, Cynthia Corbin-Jarvis, and Marion Hamilton voting in opposition.
Pamela Morris is currently employed as the superintendent for the Sealy ISD. That district is in an Austin County community of 5,300, west of Houston, and serves 2,600 students. Her present salary there is listed by the TEA at $105,000. Morris has been superintendent of Sealy ISD since April of 2007. She joined that district as principal of Sealy High School in March of 2006 and was promoted a year later.
Morris began her career in education with a certification in secondary social studies, in 1996, after graduating from Sam Houston State University with a bachelor of arts degree. She earned a master of education in educational leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2001. She moved to administration in 2003, obtaining certification as a principal that year. She served as principal for the Ingram ISD, Tom More High School, between 2003 and 2006. Morris entered the superintendent certification program at Texas Tech University in 2005, and completed her certification after moving to Sealy in December of 2006. She accepted the superintendent’s slot in April the following year. She is at present actively pursuing her doctorate degree in education.
The "lone finalist" period will last 21 days. During this time the Arrow services group will conduct background checks. Trustees may visit the Sealy ISD to interview references and the board there. And some negotiations regarding schedules and salaries may be conducted.
Morris's start date in Lancaster will be announced later.
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Interestedcitizen5, anonymous:
I don't understand why Arrow doesn't do the background check first. Here's how the process should work. First, the community decides what characteristics it wants in a leader. That needs to be an objective study. There needs to be a scientifically accurate way to measure consensus. Mass mailings and public meetings that don't draw a cross section of the community that matches the community's demographics do not pass the test of scientific accuracy.
The second step should be screening the candidates in light of community demands. This should involve background checks.
The third step should be selection of the lone finalist among candidates that most closely meet the community's wishes.
Whether it reflected the community's wishes or not, here is what I heard in a public meeting.
We want the best candidate, regardless of race or gender.
We want someone with classroom experience.
We want someone with proven administrative experience
We want someone who can do math
We want someone with an intact family and without a history of family problems.
We don't want a womanizer.
We want someone who is humble and studious.
We want someone who is ready to lead the district
We want someone who will be part of the special family in LISD
Some of these values are contradictory, as they reflect the diverse elements that make up the community. Obviously, the recently departed Supt. treated certain insiders as special members of the family by granting interest free advance loans. If that is what is meant be being a member of a special family, that's not good from the taxpayers' standpoint.
Taxpayers are more intersted in someone who runs a tight ship, understands the relationship between the board and the Supt., and does not arrogantly try to shove the board around.
There is always going to be some tension among the interests of the taxpayers, the interests of the parents, the interests of the students, and the interests of the teachers. Everyone has to be considered.
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What do you think?