Search is on for Humble superintendent

Residents can weigh in on new leader online or by attending public forums

The Humble school district is taking a different approach to selecting its next superintendent.

Superintendent Guy Sconzo announced plans to retire at a board meeting Dec. 8.

The board of trustees launched an online survey Jan. 21 soliciting public input on selecting a superintendent, and also is conducting public forums and hosting question and answer sessions with staff, parents and students on the subject.

The survey will close Feb. 21.

“The survey and forums will help identify the characteristics sought in Humble ISD’s next superintendent,” said Robert Sitton, president of the Humble ISD board of trustees.

The forums and survey are being led by search consultants from Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, an executive search firm that assists school boards nationwide in superintendent searches and has conducted more than 1,000 placements of educational executives.

The firm has conducted superintendent searches for many other school boards in Texas including Alamo

Heights, Austin, Carroll, Dallas, Fort Bend, Lewisville, Northside, Plano, Round Rock and Spring.

The individual consultants working with the school board are Rick Berry, retired superintendent of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD; Nola Wellman, retired superintendent of Eanes ISD and Peter Flynn, former Illinois Superintendent of the Year.

The district has hosted a public forum on Feb. 17, and will host a second public forum at 7 p.m. Feb. 18, at the Atascocita High School Red House LGI, at 13300 Will Clayton Parkway.

The final forum is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Feb. 19 in the Humble ISD Board Room, 20200 Eastway Village Drive in Humble. In addition to the public forums, the superintendent search consultants will be holding approximately 20 meetings with groups of students, parents, teachers, staff, and community organizations, during the search process.

Amazing journey

Sconzo has served as the Humble ISD superintendent since 2001.

“For more than four decades, I have experienced the privilege of working in education including 26 years as a superintendent of schools,” Sconzo said. “Of course, the best years have been the past 15 in Humble ISD. It has been an amazing journey.”

During Sconzo’s 15 years as superintendent, the district population has increased from 25,344 students in 2001 to 40,547 this academic year.

Between 2009 and 2011, Sconzo helped guide the district through a difficult financial period.

The district has begun adding new schools and last year was honored as the best large district in Texas by H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards program.

“No community is more supportive of education than Humble ISD. It is because of this shared vision and commitment to our children’s future that students succeed,” Sconzo said. “My love for our school district, and the fact that I will soon be a grandparent of children attending Humble ISD schools, caused me to want to provide the school board as much notice and time as possible to conduct their search for a new superintendent.”

Sconzo’s last day as Humble ISD superintendent will be the day before the new superintendent reports for work, which gives the trustees and represen- tatives from the executive search firm the time they need to find the right person for the job.

“On that day, and through Dec. 31, 2016, I will serve as a transition consultant to the board and the new superintendent,” Sconzo said. “I will do anything and everything needed to assure a very smooth and seamless transition of leadership.”

For details, go to www. humbleisd.net