Search for superintendent

ECISD trustees seem divided on how hastily the board should act in hiring a full-time superintendent for the Ector County Independent School District.

A majority of the trustees agreed ECISD interim superintendent Hector Mendez and his leadership team of mostly assistant superintendents have made good decisions and worked well under the circumstances.

Because of Mendez's successful job performance, several trustees agreed they don't see a need to rush the search process, including the possibility of hiring a consulting firm to help in the selection.

"I'm perfectly happy where everything is at, and I'm in no hurry to hire a consulting firm," board vice president L.V. "Butch" Foreman said. "Everything is going fine the way it is now."

Foreman said the district would have to look into hiring a consulting firm to assist in finding a superintendent because trustees would need to analyze the cost and objectives of a firm.

As of Friday, ECISD had received one application for the superintendent position through postings on a few educational organization websites.

The lone applicant wasn't Mendez, who said he plans to apply for the full-time superintendent position.

"I will apply for the position and it will be up to them to determine who is the best person for the position," Mendez said.

Mendez said he appreciates the support from trustees on his job performance.

"That's a good thing," he said.

Mendez said he doesn't know when he'll apply for the superintendent position, but he feels he can do the job.

He noted the bell schedule, the Career Center redesign and the creation of a "flat" administrative hierarchy as some of his accomplishments as interim superintendent since trustees appointed him in July following the firing of former superintendent Wendell Sollis.

Many trustees agreed in November to take their time in the superintendent selection process by planning goals before detailing ideal qualities for the district's top administrative position.

Despite possible changes on the Ector County Independent School District board of trustees with the coming May board elections, a majority of current trustees said they'd like to see the search move forward.

Trustee Fay Batch said the board hasn't discussed the search for a superintendent in a while, and a discussion needs to take place.

"It's going to have to be a board decision," she said. " We are just going to have to get it on our agenda real fast."

The subject needs to be addressed by the board, she said, noting all trustees have their own opinions as to whether the selection should take place before the May board elections.

"Given the time frame, I think it may be just not workable," Batch said.

Trustee Dr. Ray Beaty said the hiring of a superintendent topped the list of objectives administrators and trustees decided on for the following six to 12 months during the board's January retreat.

"That position is a key position for the direction the district is moving," he said, noting it should be filled soon.

Beaty said it's the trustees' job to secure someone for the position.

"I feel that's an obligation of the board," he said. "They look to see who would be the best candidate for the superintendent position.

"We expect the best out of our teachers. We should expect no less from the administration - the same."

Beaty said he thought an update of the search process would be on an upcoming board agenda.

Trustee Doyle Woodall agreed saying it was important for district officials to try and find a superintendent on their own, but more effort needs to be put into the search.

"We need to take it to the next level," he said. "We don't need to just sit here in limbo.

"We need to keep this going ... It's time to kick it up a notch and hire a firm."

Trustee Randy Rives, who is not running for re-election, said it may be too early to act on hiring a firm if the postings haven't been up long.

"It's probably a little early to make that decision," he said, noting it takes a while to get the word out.

He emphasized no need to "jump the gun and panic" at this point noting trustees would need to discuss the hiring of a firm before spending taxpayers' money hastily.

Trustee Donna Smith agreed the board has a responsibility to hire a superintendent, but she didn't feel comfortable, she said, publicly talking about a timeline or the selection process without knowing the board's consensus on the matter.

But, Smith said Mendez and his team are doing a good job, especially by listening to parent, trustee and community concerns about projects like the Career Center redesign and the high school bell schedule.

If trustees go outside the district to try and find candidates, the pool may not consist of someone who's willing to listen and make decisions with the consideration of public concerns.

On the bell schedule, she said, Mendez and his leadership team heard and acted based on people's concerns and that's something uncommon in public school administration.

"They rationally said, ‘OK, we're not going to go forward,' " she said. "That is unbelievably rare.

"That was amazing. Most administrators - they would have dug their heels in. They didn't do that."

Woodall said Mendez has done a good job as interim, but he emphasized it's the board's responsibility to the taxpayers to find the best candidate.

"This district, the teachers, the students and the taxpayers deserve a permanent superintendent," Woodall said. "And we need to go find him or her."

Efforts to reach board president Carol Gregg were unsuccessful Friday.