BCISD creates new leadership role to improve student services
Burnet CISD Superintendent Dr. Aaron Peña addressed the Board of Trustees on Aug. 26 about adding a new leadership position to the administration. Staff photo by Elizabeth De Los Santos
The Burnet Consolidated Independent School District is adding an assistant superintendent to focus on improving student services. Superintendent Dr. Aaron Peña introduced the position during the BCISD Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, Aug. 26.
The Burnet school district currently has one assistant superintendent, who is responsible for overseeing all aspects of instructional improvement and student services, a long list of duties (see below).
“Instructional improvement is an entire job itself,” Peña said. “Back in a previous district, I was a student services assistant superintendent, and let me tell you, I could not have imagined doing those two jobs at once. But that’s what we have here.”
He explained why the district needs the new role.
“We put a lot of money into positions on the campus level—when you look at behavior, it’s even a higher investment—but I’ve been told two things over and over again: Work on academics and work on behavior,” Peña said. “So we have to ask ourselves: Why are we not getting the return on our investment? I believe it does go back to leadership.”
Qualifications for the new assistant superintendent include a master’s degree in education or educational administration—though a doctorate is preferred—a Superintendent Certificate, and a valid Texas Mid-Management or Principal Certificate. Candidates should have a minimum of three years of classroom teaching experience with district-level instructional leadership and principal experience preferred. The salary range is $102,613 to $144,649.
“The kind of person we’re looking for at BCISD is not someone who’s going to sit in an office,” Peña said. “It’s going to be a person that’s going to get out there onto the campuses to make everyone else better. Good leadership is going to make other people better, and so that’s the hope for this position.”