Superintendent Year 3: Serving as Hope
It’s been about six months since I began serving as superintendent in Waco ISD—and what a journey it has been! It’s truly a joy to witness our community and staff come together in service of our students. Every day, I wake up grateful for the opportunity to be in this role and in this space. I’m both humbled and honored—not only to lead, but to serve as a servant leader for our board, staff, and community.
As I reflect on the past six months and look ahead to the work still to come, I’d like to share a few thoughts. Recently, we’ve faced some difficult moments—challenging, heavy ones that tested our resolve.
At a community event yesterday, I was approached by two different individuals whose words have stayed with me. Both conversations carried similar sentiments. The first simply said, “Thank you.” They thanked me for being visible, even when cameras aren’t around—for showing up and sharing information openly, whether the news is good or bad. The second person thanked me for being real and vulnerable. “You’re honest with us about what’s going on,” she said. “You didn’t send someone else. You didn’t send an email. You came to speak with us yourself. Thank you.”
As a leader, I’ve always believed that when something great happens, the credit belongs to the people doing the work. They deserve the spotlight and the recognition. But when something difficult or unfortunate occurs, I must be the one to face it—protecting our system and supporting those I lead. That belief has been tested recently, and through it, I’ve been reminded of an important truth: I must be a ray of light. I must offer hope.
What is hope—and why does it matter?
Hope is the feeling of expectation and desire for something better. As leaders, it’s our job to offer that hope. In difficult times, people look to us for light—even when we ourselves are struggling to find it. It’s important to remember: leaders are human, too. There are moments when it’s hard to inspire others if we’re barely able to encourage ourselves.
But reflecting on those recent conversations gave me strength. They reminded me that even when we face hardships, we can still lift others up—and that matters.
Right now, public education in Texas faces real challenges. There’s uncertainty, and a lack of support at various levels of government. But I remain steadfast in the mission to educate our students. I see progress and success in our classrooms every day, and I hear it in the voices of our students. I have hope—and I believe that hope is contagious.
I believe that if not us, then who? Our students and staff deserve the absolute best we can give.
Will it be easy? No.
Is it worth the struggle? Absolutely.
Will we always see the results of our labor? Not always.
But knowing we played a role in helping a child reach their potential? That’s priceless.
As we wrap up this spring and head into summer, my hope is that you, too, find hope in the work you’re doing. People are watching you. They’re looking to you. You can do this—even in moments when you think you can’t.
Let’s continue to #InspireExcellence—together.
