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Spring ISD holds community town hall as board gathers input for superintendent search
Summary
Spring Independent School District trustees and community members met May 17 for a region-facilitated town hall to gather priorities for the district's superintendent search, discuss district strengths such as pre-K and schools of choice, and raise concerns about budget shortfalls, reading instruction, and enrollment decline.
SPRING, Texas — The Spring Independent School District Board of Trustees held a community town hall on Saturday, May 17, to gather public input for its superintendent search and to explain the search timeline and next steps.
Board President Justine Durant opened the session at 9:05 a.m., and Rudy Treviño of Region 4 Education Service Center described the facilitator role and the district’s input-gathering process, which includes community meetings, staff surveys and one-on-one interviews. Treviño said the district had opened an online survey the prior evening and had received “almost 200” responses within hours.
The meeting’s purpose, Durant and trustees said, was to create a candidate profile that reflects community priorities. Durant said the board expects applications to close June 20 and is targeting an August 4 selection date so a new superintendent would be in place before the next school year.
Trustees and public speakers repeatedly named several priorities. Trustee Justine Durant said a strong leader must “know your why” and put students first. Trustee Natasha McDaniel emphasized “active listening” and collaboration with students, teachers, principals and business partners. Trustee Winfred Adams Jr. said the district needs a leader who is “equity focused” and a “superior communicator.” Trustee Kelly Hodges and others stressed transparency, visibility in the community and meeting people where they are.
Public commenters and trustees highlighted specific district strengths they want preserved: the board’s move to a zero-based budgeting model, expanded pre-K (noting Spring ISD funds full-day pre-K rather than the state’s half-day model), schools of choice and career and arts programs that offer students early college credit and performance opportunities.
Speakers also raised concerns they want the next superintendent to address. Multiple speakers said Spring ISD has lost enrollment to charter schools — Durant said the district has about 32 charter schools in the area and has lost roughly 4,000 students in recent years — and faces an operating deficit (one speaker cited a $13 million shortfall). Community members urged clearer, more consistent communication with families, stronger teacher support and retention, and a renewed emphasis on foundational reading instruction (phonics and decoding) and science/STEM instruction.
“I think more voice from teachers will actually promote us having higher test scores,” said Sean McKellen, a parent and teacher. “Without the teacher’s input, the excellent leader wouldn’t know.”
Several commenters urged creative responses to the budget gap, including repurposing or monetizing underused buildings and leasing space to small businesses. One speaker suggested the board consider school consolidations or closures where capacity is low, noting some campuses operate at about half capacity and that operating empty or underused facilities has ongoing costs.
Speakers also called for stronger ties to the local business community to create internships, employment pipelines and partnerships that could support district programs. Charity Smith, a long-time community liaison, said the district should “speak the language of business” and create “win-win” relationships to reduce reliance on state funding.
Trustees described how the search will incorporate community feedback. Durant said the board has formed a community search committee with staff and community members (including bus drivers, custodians, maintenance staff, teachers and paraprofessionals) and is working with Region 4 to compile input into an executive summary for use in candidate screening. Region 4 staff and board members urged the public to complete the district survey and offered paper copies and Spanish-language options.
The meeting closed with a formal motion to adjourn made by Trustee Kelly Hodges, seconded by Trustee Natasha McDaniel; the board voted unanimously to adjourn at 11:01 a.m.
The board did not take final action on hiring or on any policy at the meeting; the session was an information- and input-gathering town hall to shape the superintendent job profile and search process.
