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Mckinney Isd

January 7, 2010 by · Comments Off on Mckinney Isd 

Mckinney Isd:On Wednesday, December 16, Dr. J.D. Kennedy accepted a three year contract to serve as the Superintendent of Schools for the McKinney Independent School District.  The hiring process was completed following the state mandated 21 day waiting period before a
superintendent contract can be finalized.

Last month, the McKinney ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved Dr. Kennedy as the lone finalist for the position. The decision was made following an extensive statewide and national search that began this past August, after Superintendent Tom Crowe announced his intent to retire at the end of the year.

Dr. Kennedy has most recently served as the Superintendent of Schools for Midlothian ISD, located between Mansfield and Waxahachie just southwest of Dallas. He has served in this role for seven years and is currently in his 35th year as an educator.

“I am both honored and excited about the opportunity to serve as the Superintendent of Schools for McKinney ISD,” said Dr. Kennedy. “I ook forward to building upon the progress and accomplishments of this successful district. One of my first priorities will be to spend time getting to know our students, teachers, staff, parents, and community members. Our continued success will be predicated on relationships andI look forward to quickly immersing myself in the schools and community.”

Dr. Kennedy will begin his official duties as McKinney ISD Superintendent on January 1, 2010.  Prior to serving in Midlothian, Dr. Kennedy was Superintendent of Schools in Decatur ISD, north of Fort Worth. He has also served as Assistant Superintendent of Schools at
Waco-Midway ISD, a principal and assistant principal at Allen ISD, a teacher and counselor at Richardson ISD, and a teacher and coordinator in North East ISD (San Antonio) and Southwest ISD. Last year, Midlothian ISD reached the “Exemplary” level in 22 of 25 academic measures. The majority of schools in the district have earned “Recognized” or
“Exemplary” status.

“I think it’s important to acknowledge the fact that I don’t believe in teaching to a test,” said Dr. Kennedy. “If we focus on building meaningful relationships with students, as well as innovative and engaging learning opportunities, we will be successful. If we do these things well the scores will reflect positively. In addition, we must always remember that as a superintendent, district administrator, and support staff our primary role is to support our teachers and principals.”

The Dallas Business Journal recently recognized Midlothian ISD as the 4th Best Place to work in the metroplex among large companies (over 500 employees). More than 400 companies were considered and the selection was based upon a number of indicators, including: work environment, innovations/new ideas, people practices, personal growth and
development, leadership, employee recognition and the structure of the day-to-day operations. Dr. Kennedy was also responsible for initiating the Midlothian Education Foundation, which has awarded over $140,000 to teachers for innovative teaching grants. The district enrolls roughly 7,400 students, and has increased 30% in student enrollment since his arrival in 2003.

Dr. Kennedy received his Doctorate in Education Administration from Texas A&M University at Commerce, a Master of Arts in Counseling from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science/Secondary Education from Baylor University. He has worked as an educational consultant in Haiti and Kosovo, and as an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas.

For additional information about the McKinney Independent School District, contact Cody Cunningham, Assistant to the Superintendent for Communications at cocunningham@mckinneyisd.net or Justin Acker, Communications Specialist, at jacker@mckinneyisd.net. Both can be reached by phone at 469-742-4095.

Plano Isd

January 7, 2010 by · Comments Off on Plano Isd 

Plano Isd:Hello Constant Readers. Welcome to The Morning Jog, a daily rundown of Plano happenings that we post early every weekday morning.

— Monday was the filing deadline for candidates in the upcoming March primaries. Ed Housewright and other DMN reporters have the list of the candidates here.

Related: 3 Republicans, 2 Libertarians seeking McCall’s Plano seat

Plano-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group spent between $2.5 million to $3 million to promote its signature soft-drink brand in a Super Bowl ad. DMN reporter Karen Robinson-Jacobs writes, “The 30-second spot for Dr Pepper Cherry will use up a bit of the air time abandoned by PepsiCo, the nation’s second-largest soft drink maker, which won’t promote its soft drinks in the big game for the first time in 23 years.”

— The Healthcare Committee of Collin County, comprised of residents and doctors, is to meet tonight at Collin College Spring Creek Campus to discuss mental illness in Collin County jails. The panel includes Republican State Rep. Jerry Madden.

— DMN colleague Jessica Meyers asks if Frisco ISD should consider lengthening its school days. She says that a recent report from the National Center on Time and Learning states that longer days may actually help students. Would you support Plano ISD creating longer school days?

Related: From DMN’s Sunday edition: Working overtime pays off for students at Oak Cliff middle school

— A reminder for parents and students: Today is the first day back for Plano ISD schools after the winter break. Kids, only six months until summer!

— Neighborsgo editor Angela Chambers tell us how she recently got engaged to a former college friend she reconnected with after spotting him at a downtown Plano parking lot a year ago.

— Folks, we’ve posted the first Plano Poll of the new year. The question: What is the biggest challenge facing Plano this year? Let us know, and we’ll post the results Friday.

Note: Theodore Kim, after working New Year’s Day and Sunday, has a much-deserved day off.

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