BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD HIRES NEW SPECIAL ED DIRECTOR
Brenham ISD photo
After a 10 minute executive session Monday, the Brenham School Board approved the hiring of Christine Johnson as the new Director of Special Education Services. Johnson is coming from Magnolia ISD, where she has served in a leadership position as assistant director of special education, program specialist of compliance and monitoring, and special education facilitator. Before that, she facilitated ARD meetings in Tomball ISD and worked in the classroom for over 12 years as a teacher working in different capacities.
Brenham Superintendent Dr. Tylor Chaplin said "The (selection) committee liked her [Christine Johnson’s] knowledge of special education law, experience in developing policy and procedures, her experience in the ARD process, and her desire to grow others within the district to join the special education world,"
Mrs. Johnson will assume the new leadership role beginning early this summer.
Full Brenham ISD News Release:
Today, during the noon Special Board meeting, the Brenham ISD Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Christine Johnson as the new Director of Special Education Services. Mrs. Johnson will assume the new leadership role beginning early this summer.
The Brenham Independent School District Special Education Department provides a wide variety of Special Education services to approximately 780 students throughout the district and services over 400 504 students. The department comprises nearly 118 teachers, including instructional paraprofessionals and speech-language pathologists. Finding the right person for this position took months, but one candidate stood out from the rest.
"The committee liked her [Christine Johnson’s] knowledge of special ed law, experience in developing policy and procedures, her experience in the ARD process, and her desire to grow others within the district to join the special education world," said Dr. Tylor Chaplin, Superintendent of Brenham ISD.
Johnson is coming from Magnolia ISD, where she has served in a leadership position as assistant director of special education, program specialist of compliance and monitoring, and special education facilitator. Before that, she facilitated ARD meetings in Tomball ISD and worked in the classroom for over 12 years as a teacher working in different capacities.
"I am excited about the opportunity to serve the students, staff, and community of Brenham ISD. I look forward to working with campuses to ensure all students succeed!" said Christine Johnson.
While I have no inside information, it’s puzzling why newly hired principles and directors are all outside of our district. With scores of teachers leaving BISD for districts where they see chances for advancement, maybe these committees should look into promoting from within to keep teachers here. Many BISD teachers are here because they feel passionate about our community, and lots are former BISD graduates….not because we pay so well.
BISD does not offer a competitive salary comparable to most surrounding districts, so protecting, promoting, and developing current teachers might need to become a priority. Otherwise, you will likely see hometown teachers leaving their alma matter – where they are emotionally and community invested – for a district that will provide support and advancement.
We are NOT a suburban district. We are a community district and we should act like one. Do the right thing for our students, our faculty, and our community. Our current faculty, staff, and campus administration are perfectly capable of making our district a top notch place to be, if we stop trying to be something we aren’t by listening to people who don’t care enough to understand our community!