The Board of Trustees thanked Dr. Dan Powell for his seven years of service as superintendent in Crowley ISD and welcomed Dr. Patricia A. Linares as the interim superintendent during the Feb. 23 board meeting.

Dr. Powell is taking a medical leave of absence beginning Feb. 24 and resigning as superintendent as part of an agreement reached with the Board of Trustees.

“The Board of Trustees would like to express its appreciation to Dr. Powell for his service as superintendent of this great school district and its wonderful students, parents and administrators,” Board President June W. Davis said as she presented Dr. Powell with a plaque. “We also express our appreciation for the many achievements and accomplishments of the entire District team during Dr. Powell’s tenure. Dr. Powell has worked diligently during his seven years as superintendent to shape the culture and direction of the school district.”

Dr. Powell, whose career in education spans four decades, said serving as the superintendent in Crowley ISD has been a wonderful opportunity for him.

“I want to express how profoundly proud and blessed I have been to be able to be superintendent of this school district,” Dr. Powell told the audience at the board meeting. “I’m so proud of the many, many things that this group in this room and your colleagues in the 23 schools and the other facilities across the district have achieved.”

He also praised Dr. Linares, who he has worked with previously.

“I know she will continue to bring out the greatness in this staff and in this community as interim superintendent as she’s done before,” Dr. Powell said. “I’m going to spend my retirement years watching all the great things you do.”

Dr. Linares is a longtime Texas public school educator and administrator with recent experience serving as an interim superintendent of Fort Worth ISD from 2014-2015. In her nearly 18 months as interim at FWISD, she continued the district’s goal of advancing student achievement while awaiting the naming of a permanent superintendent.

“I am honored to be named as interim superintendent for the Crowley Independent School District,” Dr. Linares said. “My role is to continue to move the district forward as the Board of Trustees dedicates themselves to the important job of searching for a new superintendent. Crowley ISD is an outstanding district with dedicated teachers, administrators, staff and community members, and I look forward to continuing the tradition of providing an exceptional education for all students.”

Originally from San Antonio, Dr. Linares earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with a specialization in Bilingual Education from Texas State University, a Master of Arts degree in Bilingual Education from Southern Methodist University and a Doctorate in Education Administration and Superintendent Certification from the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Linares’ education career began in Dallas ISD, where she served as teacher, assistant principal and principal. She then worked at the Texas Education Agency from 1991-1996 where she coordinated the writing and passage of a comprehensive rewrite of the state’s Education Code in collaboration with the governor and state Legislature.

In 1996, Dr. Linares joined FWISD where she served in many cabinet roles. She retired from FWISD in 2010 as a deputy superintendent and four years later was asked to return to serve as interim superintendent.

“Dr. Linares’ experience in leading a school district as an interim superintendent makes her the perfect candidate for this position,” CISD Board President June W. Davis said. “Her commitment to student success aligns perfectly with our mission of providing excellence in education for all students.”

The Board of Trustees will soon begin discussions about the process and timeline for finding a permanent superintendent. Community meetings will be announced at a later date for stakeholders to meet Dr. Linares and learn more about the process for hiring a permanent superintendent.

View the original announcement about Dr. Powell’s resignation.

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