Posted 10:54 pm Wednesday, July 18, 2012
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Potential Interim Superintendent Named
By EMILY GUEVARA
Staff Writer
An interim superintendent could start in Tyler ISD as soon as Aug. 1.
TISD officials on Tuesday announced plans to name Gary Mooring as the district’s interim superintendent upon the expected resignation of current superintendent Dr. Randy Reid.
Mooring previously served as the district’s interim superintendent for seven months in 2007, prior to Reid coming.
He also has six years experience as a district superintendent in Bishop Consolidated ISD, near Kingsville and Hutto ISD, near Round Rock.
“He always brings a lot of stability and integrity to the job,” TISD board President Michelle Carr said. “He is well-liked and easy to work with … Gary is very qualified, very familiar and is not interested in the job as superintendent of the district long-term.”
TISD trustees met in closed session Tuesday for almost three hours to iron out details related to the interim superintendent and a transition plan.
Keller ISD on July 2 named Reid its lone finalist for the superintendent position there. However, that district must wait 21 days before officially hiring Reid per Texas Government Code.
Staff Writer
An interim superintendent could start in Tyler ISD as soon as Aug. 1.
TISD officials on Tuesday announced plans to name Gary Mooring as the district’s interim superintendent upon the expected resignation of current superintendent Dr. Randy Reid.
Mooring previously served as the district’s interim superintendent for seven months in 2007, prior to Reid coming.
He also has six years experience as a district superintendent in Bishop Consolidated ISD, near Kingsville and Hutto ISD, near Round Rock.
“He always brings a lot of stability and integrity to the job,” TISD board President Michelle Carr said. “He is well-liked and easy to work with … Gary is very qualified, very familiar and is not interested in the job as superintendent of the district long-term.”
TISD trustees met in closed session Tuesday for almost three hours to iron out details related to the interim superintendent and a transition plan.
Keller ISD on July 2 named Reid its lone finalist for the superintendent position there. However, that district must wait 21 days before officially hiring Reid per Texas Government Code.
The district is expected to finalize his appointment next week, according to TISD information. After that, TISD will officially hire Mooring for the interim superintendent post.
If Mooring is named as interim, he would come to the position with a background of in-house experience.
In addition to his stint as TISD’s interim superintendent in 2007, he served as TISD’s deputy superintendent for five months in 2006.
He also served TISD as interim executive director for special programs, interim transportation director and consultant to develop the district’s operations manual, according to a school district news release.
Mrs. Carr said other people contacted the board about the interim position, but those people were interested in applying for the permanent position as well and that is something board members were not comfortable with.
The board wants to conduct a thorough search for the next superintendent. Mrs. Carr said board members will consider search firms that could be hired and expect to post the position online in the next month or so.
However, she said, she doesn’t expect the board to make any significant moves toward hiring someone until early 2013.
“Right now is a time of year where most superintendents have already settled into or have just arrived at a new job,” Mrs. Carr said. “So, it’s really not a very good time right now.”
She said if a strong candidate came forward in the next few months, trustees certainly would consider them and interview them, “but there are seasons in the school business, and this isn’t particularly a season for hiring.”
If Mooring is named as interim, he would come to the position with a background of in-house experience.
In addition to his stint as TISD’s interim superintendent in 2007, he served as TISD’s deputy superintendent for five months in 2006.
He also served TISD as interim executive director for special programs, interim transportation director and consultant to develop the district’s operations manual, according to a school district news release.
Mrs. Carr said other people contacted the board about the interim position, but those people were interested in applying for the permanent position as well and that is something board members were not comfortable with.
The board wants to conduct a thorough search for the next superintendent. Mrs. Carr said board members will consider search firms that could be hired and expect to post the position online in the next month or so.
However, she said, she doesn’t expect the board to make any significant moves toward hiring someone until early 2013.
“Right now is a time of year where most superintendents have already settled into or have just arrived at a new job,” Mrs. Carr said. “So, it’s really not a very good time right now.”
She said if a strong candidate came forward in the next few months, trustees certainly would consider them and interview them, “but there are seasons in the school business, and this isn’t particularly a season for hiring.”
Mooring, who was at the TISD administration building for the meeting, said he is excited about the possibility of serving the district in this capacity.
For more than a year, Mooring has worked at Tyler Junior College overseeing its dual-credit program, which enables high school students to earn college credits. He said he would take a leave of absence from that position to work for TISD.
If hired as interim superintendent, Mooring said his goal would be to keep the momentum of the district going and evaluate programs and personnel and make necessary recommendations to the board.
“I’m interested in doing what I can to help the community, and I thought it was a great opportunity for me to come back and reconnect with the staff that I do know and all the new staff that is here,” Mooring said.
Mrs. Carr said that during the closed session meeting trustees talked with Mooring about several issues including the timing of his potential hire (right before school starts) and the district’s current priorities.
Two of the board’s primary concerns are academic improvement and discipline throughout the district. Mrs. Carr said board members have ongoing conversations about those issues and want an interim superintendent who can jump in and support them in those areas.
Keller ISD is expected to vote on Reid’s hire July 26 and if that goes through, Mooring would begin in TISD on Aug. 1, Mrs. Carr said. He and Reid would then work together for a time to ensure a smooth transition before Reid’s departure.
For more than a year, Mooring has worked at Tyler Junior College overseeing its dual-credit program, which enables high school students to earn college credits. He said he would take a leave of absence from that position to work for TISD.
If hired as interim superintendent, Mooring said his goal would be to keep the momentum of the district going and evaluate programs and personnel and make necessary recommendations to the board.
“I’m interested in doing what I can to help the community, and I thought it was a great opportunity for me to come back and reconnect with the staff that I do know and all the new staff that is here,” Mooring said.
Mrs. Carr said that during the closed session meeting trustees talked with Mooring about several issues including the timing of his potential hire (right before school starts) and the district’s current priorities.
Two of the board’s primary concerns are academic improvement and discipline throughout the district. Mrs. Carr said board members have ongoing conversations about those issues and want an interim superintendent who can jump in and support them in those areas.
Keller ISD is expected to vote on Reid’s hire July 26 and if that goes through, Mooring would begin in TISD on Aug. 1, Mrs. Carr said. He and Reid would then work together for a time to ensure a smooth transition before Reid’s departure.
