Superintendent applicants under review

Pflugerville school district board trustees last week reviewed a slew of applications to find the district’s next superintendent.

The search began not long after the resignation of Superintendent Alex Torrez in December. Gary Patterson, formerly a San Antonio-area school superintendent, has served in the interim.

School board President Vernagene Mott said she and fellow trustees assessed more than a couple dozen applications. She called the closed-door meeting on March 21 one of several steps toward the district finding the right person.

“The end result is we’re hopeful sometime in May to name a finalist,” she said.

The district hired a consulting firm — Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Russo & Kyle — to conduct the search and posted the job profile on websites like TexasISD. com and Tasanet.org. Applications were received through March 16.

The district also encouraged public input through a since-closed online survey and a community meeting Feb. 22. Community members at the meeting told district staff they wanted candidates to have experience in leading a school district and working with a diverse community. Mott said those comments are assisting in the board’s selection process.

“I think it’s another set of eyes and ears,” she said. “And while we’re elected by the community, we can’t individually go out and talk to everybody. The more information you have, the better decision you make.”

Other characteristics people mentioned: They wanted to see the next superintendent support special education and gifted and talented programs and be able to “think outside the box.”

Mott said applicants were demonstrating the necessary skills to lead the district, though “there are things on paper and things you just get a feel for when you meet someone in person,” she said.

District staff have said the board plans to select candidates to interview in late March and conduct interviews in April. Without any changes in scheduling, the next superintendent could be hired by early summer.