Good afternoon, LISD staff.

I hope this finds you well and looking forward to the holidays. I have been fortunate to meet and speak with so many heroic, talented, and passionate students and staff over the past three months. 

We have amazing learning happening in our classrooms. My learning has included the size and scale of our large, diverse school district and its continued, consistent growth. As we move forward in our journey to best support student experiences, heroic educators and our explosive enrollment growth, adding more than 13,000 new students in the next 10 years, I would like to announce the following reorganization:

  • Student Services Expands to the Campus Activities and Support Department
  • Facilities to Focus on Growth
  • State and Federal Programs Spearheads Full-Day Pre-K Implementation
  • Alignment of 504, Dyslexia and Special Education to Special Programs and Services
  • College and Career Pathways Becomes Pathways and Innovation 

Please allow me to provide more details. 

Student Services Expands to the Campus Activities and Support Department

We believe we can improve our already stellar student experiences by aligning key departments that directly impact students every day. 

John Graham, who brings more than 15 years of school leadership experience and currently leads the Glenn and Vandegrift feeder patterns as an area superintendent, will begin serving as the Assistant Superintendent of Campus Activities and Support. In this new role, he will lead the following departments and programs: 

  • after school enrichment and after school care
  • athletics
  • child nutrition services
  • fine arts
  • health services
  • risk management
  • school safety
  • student services
  • transportation

The Assistant Superintendent of Campus Activities and Support will replace the Senior Executive Director of Student Services position vacated in the summer and will join the area superintendents in supporting campuses. We will immediately begin searching for a new area superintendent to fill John’s former position.  

Facilities to Focus on Growth

With the continued annual growth of more than 1,300 new students and at least one new school per year, our Facilities staff will focus on properly preparing for and managing that growth. In our Nov. 7 report from our demographer, you can see firsthand the opportunities we have for welcoming more students into our LISD family.

Jimmy Disler’s title will change to Chief Facilities Officer as he focuses on leading:

  • attendance zoning
  • bond management and planning
  • construction
  • custodial services
  • demographic updates 
  • energy management
  • facility rentals
  • plant services

As a maintenance and construction leader in Leander ISD since 1997, Jimmy brings expertise to growth management that includes building 33 of the district’s 43 schools. He has led either the building or renovation of every school in LISD. 

State and Federal Programs Spearheads Full-Day Pre-K Implementation

To better align services in special education and to implement full-day pre-kindergarten, as required by House Bill 3, we are reconfiguring the State and Federal Programs department. Senior Executive Director Kendra Winans will continue to lead this effort in a department that includes:

  • early childhood education
  • elementary and secondary academic supports
  • response to intervention
  • state and federal programs compliance and budget support
  • supplemental reading program

Alignment of 504, Dyslexia and Special Education to Special Programs and Services 

Sandy Kelly-Kahn, after 30 years of service to the students and families of Leander ISD, will be retiring in January 2020. The Senior Director of Special Education position will be changed to Executive Director of Special Programs and Services. Once hired, this position will oversee the following areas: 

  • 504
  • dyslexia
  • special education

College and Career Pathways Becomes Pathways and Innovation 

The Executive Director of College and Career Pathways position has been vacant since June 2019. We are changing the title of that position to Assistant Superintendent of Pathways and Innovation due to the addition of bilingual services, English as a Second Language (ESL), and world languages. 

The Pathways and Innovation Department will focus on: 

  • advanced programs
  • Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID),
  • alternative learning/New Hope
  • bilingual services
  • Career Technical Education (CTE) 
  • counseling services
  • English as a Second Language (ESL)
  • gifted and advanced programs
  • world languages

In Conclusion

We will continue to evaluate our systems and structure in the coming months. As a learning organization, we are committed to taking the time to meet with and listen to our students, staff, and community to enhance student experiences.

Thank you for the meaningful ways you impact our young people every day.  

Respectfully,

Bruce