Willis ISD leader is heading to College Station
The sole finalist, Harkrider now is in 21-day wait period
Willis ISD Superintendent Tim Harkrider has been named the lone finalist for the superintendent role for College Station ISD.
Harkrider ends his 11-year tenure with Willis ISD and will replace Superintendent Mike Martindale, who recently retired, according to a release from College Station ISD.
The College Station ISD board of trustees voted unanimously Monday during a special meeting to name Harkrider the finalist for the superintendent role.
State law stipulates a superintendent finalist must complete a 21-day waiting period before officially being chosen for the position.
Harkrider joined Willis ISD in 2012 as a principal for Willis High School. He was named superintendent in 2013.
Harkrider will continue his role as superintendent for the district until his 21-day waiting period is complete.
Willis ISD officials will hold a special meeting in the coming weeks to establish a timeline and plan for a superintendent search.
“My family and I have enjoyed the past 11 years we spent in Willis,” Harkrider said in a written statement. “It has been a privilege to serve this community. We will miss our friends in Willis but we are looking forward to this new opportunity in College Station.”
During his tenure, Harkrider had been nominated and named as superintendent of the year.
In 2018, Harkrider was named as the Texas Association of School Boards Region 6 Superintendent of the Year and was one of the finalist in the state competition.
The school board’s nomination letter commended Harkrider for his leadership as a superintendent who has not only impacted student performance but has also led to improvements in facilities, staff wellness, technology access and financial stability.
Several years later, Harkrider was named the first Superintendent of the Year by the Lone Star State School Counseling Association in 2021 for his efforts in reshaping and strengthening the role of school counselors in students’ academic careers.
Harkrider has also led the district through the passing of three bond packages — $109.5 million in 2015, $100.15 million in 2020 and $143 million in 2022.
Willis ISD Trustee Cliff Williams spoke about Harkrider’s character during a College Station ISD special meeting, calling him an “individual who is driven, passionate and wants to be the best at all he does.”
“He walks away for his next challenge, leaving Willis better than (when) he found it,” Williams said. “The thing I’ll miss the most is, you’re getting one of the best recruiters I’ve seen in my life. Because he will bring people here that will follow him to the ends of earth. Willis ISD has grown almost 2,500 students during his tenure and he took it in stride, never flinched. And his impact will be felt for years to come.”
Willis ISD board president Kyle Hoegemeyer said the district has grown “tremendously” in the 10 years under Harkrider’s leadership.
“We wish Dr. Harkrider and his family all the best in his new role as superintendent of College Station ISD,” Hoegemeyer said in a written statement.