CLAY GILLENTINE NAMED LONE FINALIST FOR BRENHAM ISD SUPT.
Acting Brenham ISD Superintendent Clay Gillentine was named as the lone finalist for the Superintendent position at the Brenham School board meeting Thursday night. Trustees voted at their last meeting on February 19th to reopen the search for superintendent to internal applicants only. The School Board now has 21 days to wait before it can vote to formally name Gillentine as the next Superintendent of Brenham schools.
Gillentine said he is thankful for this opportunity and that "we're just getting started."
The role of acting superintendent has been held by Gillentine since October, following the departure of former superintendent Dr. Tylor Chaplin. Trustees decided in November to pause their search for a new superintendent until the spring.
Sara Borchgardt, the district's Executive Director of Leading and Learning, presented the board with the Teacher Incentive Allotment from the TEA. She said the three-year program is based on student growth over the course of individual school years. The three years is from when the district starts the process with an initial application to the state and stakeholder feedback, to receiving the payout in year three and onward. 90 percent of the funds awarded to the district has to go to teachers, with the other 10 percent dedicated to teacher growth and professional development. The incentives would mean $4,800 to $18,000 each year for five years to teachers who receive the funds.
Most of the school board members questioned whether there was enough time to get the data together for the April 15 deadline and how measurements of student growth can be accurately calculated across different subject areas like math, art or choir. The scale will be determined by the school district. The proposal was only for information only, so no vote was taken.
Click here to view the TIA presentation from Thursday's meeting.
Robert Lindemann, Interim Chief Financial Officer for the district, gave the financial update. He said the Average Daily Attendance has been slowly climbing each month, and that if departments continue to spend conservatively, he is on track to present a balanced budget for next year.
After an Executive Session the board reconvened to unanimously approve renewal of the contracts for all existing directors and principals for the 24-25 school year.
The full press release from Brenham ISD regarding the naming of a finalist for superintendent can be read below.
The Brenham Independent School District Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that at tonight's Board Meeting, a unanimous decision was reached to name Mr. Clay Gillentine as the Lone Finalist for the position of Superintendent.
Mr. Gillentine has been serving as the Acting Superintendent since October 2023, demonstrating strong leadership and dedication to the district's mission and goals. Prior to this role, he served as the Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services since the summer of 2021, where he exhibited a profound commitment to enhancing the educational experience for all students.
Natalie Lange, President of the Brenham ISD Board of Trustees, expressed her confidence in Mr. Gillentine, stating, " Mr. Gillentine brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role of Superintendent, and his collaborative approach has already made a positive impact on our district. He has been instrumental in working with our team to implement improvements, and we are confident that he will continue to lead with dedication and diligence as we navigate the various challenges ahead."
Mr. Gillentine shared his gratitude for the opportunity, emphasizing the importance of community and dedication to the district's teachers and students. "I am honored and humbled by the trust placed in me by the Board of Trustees. Together, we will continue to work tirelessly to improve our district and navigate challenges, ensuring every student receives a high-quality education," said Mr. Gillentine.
Mr. Gillentine is supported by his wife, Alison Gillentine, of almost 24 years, and their son, Holton Gillentine, who is a current student at Brenham Junior High School.
The Board of Trustees looks forward to the official appointment of Mr. Gillentine as Superintendent following the state-mandated waiting period.
I find it suspicious that Brenham ISD posted the Superintendent position for “Internal only”. Seems to me that if the school district didn’t like Tylor Chaplin, then why would they want to keep Clay Gillentine? I have a feeling many good teachers will be leaving due to the incompetence of the school board and district as a whole. Where is the talk about giving teachers and staff a raise–right down the road in Navasota teachers can get paid more AND have a better calendar for the school year with more time off as well getting paid for the problems they’ll face. Let’s face it, every district has problems but at least pay your teachers and staff for putting up with your mess and lack of support. Maybe Brenham ISD needs a complete overhaul and get rid of the bias school board and central office.
They had an outside candidate that walked away because of the boards’ disfunction. Alot of good candidates wouldn’t apply because of all the turmoil and chaos of the board.