BY BRITTANY ANDERSON
A closer look
Hutto ISD
Neatherlin has over 23 years of educator expe- rience in executive, administrative, coaching and classroom roles, most recently serving as superin- tendent in nearby Granger ISD for three years. “There’s a lot of educators in the area that I have worked with previously, or I’ve worked with some- body that they know,” Neatherlin said. “I feel like even though I’m coming in new, I’m familiar. So they’re going to recognize the work that we have done in the past and the work that we’re ready to do, and everybody’s just excited.” Logiudice said Neatherlin’s track record of “moving student achievement forward” made her a great fit for Hutto. “I think our district [was] in a place where we really needed a galvanizer,” Logiudice said. “We have good people in place doing the work that we,
Hutto ISD’s superintendent search was its second search in less than a year. In April, Superintendent Raúl Peña resigned after seven months in office. After previously partnering with third-party firm JC Consulting, the district selected TASB to conduct its most recent search. The board named Neatherlin as the lone finalist and officially hired her Aug. 27. While the search only took a few months, HISD board President Billie Logiudice said the process can stall a district’s workflow. “People just don’t know what a new person is going to come in with that will be their nonnegotiables or the direction they want to go,” Logiudice said. “... Naturally, people are just kind of on pins and needles, waiting to see, ‘Is my role going to still be relevant here with a new person?’ I know the biggest thing you always hear is, ‘Are they going to come in and just want to bring their own people and get rid of all of us?’”
“When you have somebody new that’s coming in, there’s always an opportunity for things to just
truly start launching in the right direction. Boards and superintendents get an opportunity to work as a team and move forward.” JENI NEATHERLIN, NEW HUTTO ISD SUPERINTENDENT
as a board, have given them through our strategic plan to do, so we wanted somebody who was going to be able to just wrap that up with a bow and move us forward.”
Going forward
Areas of focus, per Hutto ISD officials
Hiring Hutto ISD’s new superintendent
Hutto ISD’s new strategic plan, Inspire 2028, is broken into four components: success, talent management, engagement and stewardship. The plan includes objectives, such as increasing grade-level literacy; attracting and retaining talent; engaging with the community; and addressing capital needs to accommodate growth and maxi- mize student success. “Like any good strategic plan, all of those things are living documents, so you’re constantly doing the work as you look at the goals and you’re addressing them, Neatherlin said.”
Attendance : Rates are lower since COVID-19 pandemic. Growth: The district needs to stay ahead of the curve to find land to build new schools. Staff retainment: Find innovative ways to bring educators to the classroom and prevent burnout. More state funding: The district is facing a $3.5 million shortfall for fiscal year 2024-25.
64
applicants
6
candidates interviewed
1 spent on the search $10.5K
community input opportunity
SOURCE: HUTTO ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: HUTTO ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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