Hawkins: Sometimes it's time for change
By Jerry Gaulding Editor, Free Press

"There just comes time for a change sometimes," says Brent Hawkins about his decision to leave Diboll to become superintendent of the Woden school district in Nacogdoches County.

Hawkins said last week that he was not actively looking to move but when he saw the posting for the Woden job, he decided, after talking with his family, to pursue it. He was looking for a "specific niche" that he felt he would fit into well.

"I just feel a strong sense that Woden presents challenges" that fit his own strengths, Hawkins, 36, said. It is a 2A district, smaller than Diboll, and the position pays what he's making here, making it a "lateral move, salary-wise," he said.

The attractions of the job are that Woden is an excellent school district academically, is still striving to get better -- "They're not looking to stay still" -- and has a history of stability at the top. Woden has had three superintendents in 46 years, he said. Diboll has had eight or nine in the past 17 years, he noted.

Officially, Hawkins has been named the sole finalist for the superintendent's job. The state of Texas mandates a 21- day waiting period before the hire is made final. He said he intends to finish out the school year here, he said.

Hawkins has begun a push for curriculum improvement throughout the district but said his departure will not harm that effort. He has established an "institutional leadership team" that knows as much as he does about the process and will have the institutional memory to educate the new superintendent on how the process is working.

"The whole point of this thing is it will run on autopilot," he said.

Asked if he held any outstanding memories of his nine years in Diboll, Hawkins said. "At every level there's a memory," but that "the greatest memory I will have is as a teacher and coach." He especially values "the personal relationship with those kids that I coached" - seeing them grow up, start families, become productive citizens - "that's the one that I'm really proud of."

He said he will make no recommendations to the board about a successor or interim. "A superintendent is a hired hand," he said. The school board needs to find a candidate that it is comfortable with, he said. As for an interim replacement, "This school district is blessed with people who can serve the district in any capacity."

The process of landing the Woden job was fairly swift. He submitted his application packet March 28, one of 38 applicants. Those candidates were narrowed down to seven, then two. He was interviewed April 12 and again April 14, when his wife and children visited with school board members' families, before being named to the job April 15.

Hawkins' family is wife Jenny, and daughters Gracie, 7, Hannah, 6, and Halle, 2. He and his wife are coming up on their 11th anniversary, he said.

"Professionally, great things have happened to me in Diboll," Hawkins said, "but the greatest thing is to be married to a perfect superintendent's wife and coach's wife," he said.