For Dr. Lamar Goree, becoming the superintendent of the Duncanville School District seemed like a natural fit. After all, he would be bringing his winning record to a city known for winning.
“When I got the job I got so many phone calls around this theme of being a city of champions and ‘You’re so lucky, you’re going to the city of champions,'” he recalled. “But I think if you really ask people to define what that means they would speak to a multi-year state championship football team, they would talk about track teams that are setting national records, they would talk about basketball teams that have repeatedly won state championships.
“Duncanville has a good reputation for academics, but that’s nothing you hear when you’re talking about City of Champions.”
Goree, however, plans to change that.
“My goal for Duncanville is for every classroom to be a championship experience for children,” he said. “If we want to make sure every child leaves Duncanville in a space they feel they are a champion, we have to change the classroom because that’s the only place where EVERYONE goes.”
Goree’s goal includes making Duncanville a regular mention in the discussion of such topics as National Merit Scholars and National Blue Ribbon Schools.
EXPERIENCED IN SUCCESS
Goree, 53, came to Duncanville after transforming Caddo Parish Public Schools in Shreveport, Louisiana. With over a decade at the helm, he is one of the longest-serving superintendents in the history of the district.
Leading a district of almost 34,000 students across 57 schools, he guided them to an all-time high in graduation rate, produced numerous National Merit Scholars and U.S. Presidential Scholars.
Three schools in his district were awarded National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence honors, one earned a Green Ribbon School designation, and another was named a National Title I School of Distinction.
He plans to bring this same success to Duncanville. The theme for this school year is “Leading with impact,” and he is confident the district has the staff to do just that, creating an environment where students are remembering the positive influences throughout the rest of their lives.
Goree stressed that impact is a “significant or memorable influence or impression you make on a person or a situation.”
“I’ve encouraged all the staff to make that impression this year and to be specific about defining what their support would,” he said.
Goree’s approach has earned him numerous honors, including the 2019 Louisiana Superintendent of the Year Award and the 2021 Broad Academy Fellowship.
Goree’s experience includes his beginnings as a math teacher in Marietta, Georgia before being recruited to Fort Worth ISD in 1998 as a math teacher. From there, he rose in school leadership with roles in Fort Worth ISD and Mansfield ISD. He served as principal at two middle schools and a high school before entering administration in Mansfield as an assistant superintendent and area superintendent.
GETTING THE CALL
Goree is the product of a career education family. His parents were educators, as were several others in their families.
“I’ve done the math before. My mom, there were seven kids in her family, eight in my dad’s, and 75 percent of the people were teachers or educators in some shape, form or fashion,” he said. “So that was in my blood.”
However, that’s not the route he first took after graduating from Huntington High School in Shreveport, where he was born and raised, followed by receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Management from Morehouse College.
“I kind of went the business route,” he said.
Then, he volunteered at a local middle school in Atlanta while working for General Electric and it changed his life.
“I was tutoring in math and I loved the light that went off when kids actually got it,” he said. “I saw a lack of education in the Atlanta community.
“I just made a pivot. We had a son and I decided I didn’t want to do corporate America and move every two years. Education would provide me stability for my family, but more important provide me with some opportunities to do something I truly saw as rewarding.”
Goree now has both a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Goree enjoys being active in his community. His work with nonprofit organizations includes My Brother’s Keeper, Rotary, the Committee of 100, and Step Forward.
He is also a member of Chiefs for Change, advocating for career and technical education and expanded secondary education opportunities on a national stage.
“I really positioned myself to be a national leader and to learn from people who had done the work at even higher levels,” he said.
LOOKING AHEAD FOCUSING ON ACADEMICS & ATHLETICS
When asked what the Duncanville School District will look like in a decade, Goree said, “I think we’ll still be an athletic powerhouse, but I also see us being extremely competitive from an academic perspective.
“I think great things are to come for the district because of the great people that make up the community, but also the people that make up the schools.”
