Once Again DeSoto ISD Is Searching For New Leadership
DESOTO – It won’t be a rush to find a new DeSoto ISD Superintendent.
That’s what the DeSoto ISD School Board trustee board president DeAndrea Fleming said in closing comments Monday night after the board accepted the resignation of DeSoto Superintendent D’Andre Weaver.
“This is not a rush, let me say this again, this is not a rush,” Fleming said. “We will do this right, we will do what is right and we will make sure that our students will continue to receive what they have been so duly given as a freedom. Education is a right and that is what we will do here in DeSoto ISD.”
With a conservator still in place in the ISD, the district has been plagued with financial issues. It was an issue that prompted the Texas Education Agency to assign the conservator to oversee the district’s operations approximately one year ago.
Place 2 Kathy Goad and Place 3 Karen Daniel did not respond for comment by press time.
However, prior to the DeSoto school board meeting Monday evening, DeSoto ISD gave an expected statement with no real information “Dr. Weaver submitted this update to the Board last week. The Board will vote on the proposed voluntary resignation agreement this evening.”
Weaver said he would not comment
At Monday night’s meeting a motion was made at around 10 p.m. in a mostly empty school board chamber room. The motion was met with silence until Dr. Tiffany Clark, Place 4 made the motion to accept the superintendent’s resignation as discussed in closed section. The motion was seconded by Place 5 Abe Cooper, Jr and passed 7 – 0.
Fleming then outlined next steps, which she said were “to actually state as a board, we want to assure that the continuation of service to our students and staff and families, we also also want to address that we have done some really great work and made some significant progress on behalf of children in the district and we want to remain focused on those positives and priorities.”
It was also mentioned that it was time to “shift the focus from adult issues back to what really matters and that is our students.”
Interim Superintendent Selected By December 13
A tentative timeline has been put in place to appoint an interim leader. That position will be selected by December 13.
The board emphasized they are focused on hiring for this most important position in collaboration with the community. As a result, the board of trustees will hear from the community on November 30 to discuss building a profile. Its important for community members and parents to attend the town hall to be involved in the process.
“The DeSoto ISD Board of Trustees will host an in-person town hall at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, inside the DeSoto ISD Boardroom located at the district’s Instructional Support Center located at 200 E. Belt Line Road in DeSoto.
The town hall is an opportunity for the DeISD school board to provide an update to its stakeholders regarding its current focus and priorities and to engage with parents, staff, students, and the community”
The district will also not be hiring a search firm for the hiring process. Instead they will use the city’s in-house attorney to lead the efforts.
Long Term Search Will Begin In January
“As we work with the community to build an ideal candidate profile we want to make sure we are remaining laser focused on what is best and so during which that time we are looking to start a long-term search in January,” Fleming added.
The position will be posted and at the end of January. The school board will work with the conservator, AJ Crabill, to identify a good fit.
“We want our community to know that we really are excited about the work we have accomplished thus far, this is still just the beginning,” Fleming concluded also mentioning the current state of finances at the district as “financially solid and that is a lot of work and that took leadership so Dr. Weaver was at the helm of that work.”
Weaver, who attended Monday night’s meeting virtually, will step down from his position in December. Earlier today, Digital Promise issued a press release announcing Dr. Weaver as their new Chief Digital Equity Officer.
