MFISD announces six finalists for superintendent
Roger Barr was announced as the new Marble Falls Middle School principal. Courtesy photo
CONNIE SWINNEY • STAFF WRITER
MARBLE FALLS — School board members on June 15 whittled down a list of 50 applicants to six for the Marble Falls Independent School District superintendent’s position and expect to possibly name a lone finalist within the next two weeks, officials say.
“It could happen as early as next week,” board president Rick Edwards said. “We are late in the game. The interest is overwhelming.”
The Marble Falls ISD school board is searching for a replacement for Rob O’Connor, whose last day is June 30. He will begin his new job July 6 as superintendent at Sharlyland ISD in South Texas.
The Marble Falls school board is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. June 16 and 17 for the first round of interviews.
“We had a wide range of applicants from all over the state who have a lot of experience,” Edwards said. “We narrowed it down to 17, to 10, then to six.”
Board members also selected four alternates.
“We’re sort of on a fast track,” Edwards said. “Where we are now, we could as early as next Monday name the lone finalist. That would be the earliest. Probably the latest would be the following (week) by the 30th of June.”
Once a lone finalist is selected, school districts must adhere to a state-mandated 21-day waiting period before offering the candidate a contract.
The final six come from across the Lone Star State.
“They range anywhere from East Texas, West Texas, North and South Texas,” he said. “Some of them being superintendents currently; others being deputy or assistant superintendents.”
Officials say they are using the results of surveys and community and staff feedback sessions in their decision.
“We would like to find somebody who would like to make Marble Falls their home for a lifetime,” Edwards said.
In other school board business June 15, trustees approved the hiring of Roger Barr as the new Marble Falls Middle School principal.
He will replace MFMS Principal Brett Koch, who announced he is retiring from education to work in his family business.
Barr, who has 16 years of classroom experience as an English teacher, is the assistant principal at Prosper High School in the Metroplex area, according to the PHS website.
He is in his sixth year at the school district and has served five years in his current position.
He and his wife, Michelle, have one adult child and two college-aged children.
connie@thepicayune.com