Spring Branch leader listens and learns
Superintendent Scott Muri says there are challenges in meeting needs of students
A month into his listeningand-learning tour of Spring Branch Independent School District, new superintendent Scott Muri wasn’t drawing any conclusions, but he said he was beginning to get a sense of the district’s strengths and weaknesses.
The board of trustees named Muri as superintendent, effective July 1.
He said in his talks with trustees, top administrators and principals, themes are emerging.
One in particular, he said, is that more needs to be done to close the “opportunity” gap between the haves and the have nots.
“One of the challenges is that we are not effectively meeting the needs of all students — we have kids falling through the cracks,” Muri said. “It’s not about narrowing the gap — we want to close the opportunity gap.”
Muri said it is the district’s job to provide equal opportunities for students to be successful, which for instance could be done by offering “rigorous experiences” at all levels and catering to how students learn and what they need to learn.
“The question I will be asking is, ‘Are economically disadvantaged populations getting
the same opportunities for rigor?’ ” Muri said.
Muri said another common theme is the widespread commitment to “T2-4,” the district’s goal laid out by Muri’s predecessor Duncan Klussmann to double the number of district graduates, within a five-year time frame, who complete a two-or-four year college degree, technical certification or a stint in the military.
“Everyone believes in that goal,” Muri said, relating an encounter with a student leader who was concerned about his classmates who might not be able to attain the goal of T-2-4.
Muri said he also had a sense of the power of the Spring Branch community and its commitment to quality schools.
Muri plans to continue listening and learning through meetings with teachers, support staff, students, parent groups and community groups to find out what they think about the district, in addition to posting an online survey for those he won’t get to meet in person.
“I need to understand who we are and figure out the great things about us and the challenges,” Muri said, emphasizing his commitment to working in a team and praising Klussmann’s legacy.
He said he will submit his findings and recommendations to the board in October.
Muri’s next step is to develop, together with staff and trustees, the district’s strategic plan to address the challenges and build on strengths such as T-2-4 which will remain intact.
Muri said school funding and the state’s involvement will continue to remain a major issue until it is resolved in the courts.
Like Klussmann, Muri is concerned about the need to offer more competitive wages to compete with surrounding school districts and retain and attract the best talent at all levels.
“We have to have a healthy budget to make it happen,” he said.
Klussmann will stay on as superintendent emeritus to advise and assist Muri until he officially retires on Dec. 31.
Muri has a three-year contract with the district, which includes an annual base salary of $285,000, a $1,000-a-month car allowance, a $300-a-month technology allowance and a $15,000 annual contribution to a tax deferred plan.
In addition, the district will cover payments to the Texas Teacher Retirement System, as well as health, long-term disability and life insurance.
Prior to his appointment, Muri was deputy superintendent of academics at Fulton County Schools in Georgia.