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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 5, 2022

Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Leader Named Regional Superintendent of the Year 

(White Settlement, TX)  Dr. Jim Chadwell, superintendent of the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD, has been named the Region 11 Superintendent of the Year for 2023.  The Superintendent of the Year Award, sponsored by the Texas Association of School Boards, honors outstanding Texas administrators for achievement and excellence in public school administration.  

Candidates for the award must be nominated by their school boards and must demonstrate strong leadership skills, dedication to improving the quality of education in their districts, commitment to public support and involvement in education, and ability to build good employee relations among teachers and staff members.  The award application highlights the following performance areas: (1) Leadership, Management, and School Climate; (2) School Board-Superintendent Relations; (3) School Improvement and Instructional Leadership; (4) Fiscal Management; and (5) School-Community Relations.  In addition to addressing the specified performance areas in the application, school boards were asked to answer the question, “Why should your chief administrator be selected as Superintendent of the Year?”  

The regional selection process also included an interview piece that allowed candidates to voice their views on great leadership, current events in education, and highlights of their careers.  

Chadwell took the helm as superintendent in EMS ISD in 2010, after having served as a Deputy Superintendent in the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD for a little more than three years.  Prior to that, he served the Northwest ISD as Executive Director for Instruction, high school principal, assistant principal, and teacher.  He earned his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and doctorate in educational leadership from Texas Christian University.  

In his application packet, the EMS ISD board shared that Dr. Chadwell values every student, employee, and community member. “He understands that people may come from many different backgrounds and offer unique perspectives; therefore, he is always willing to listen. Dr. Chadwell strives to provide students and staff members with the resources they need to succeed. For example, under his leadership, Human Resources conducts annual ‘Stay Interviews’ with employees districtwide to identify why they choose to remain in EMS ISD and how district leaders can further support them.”

As part of TASB’s award process, regional winners for the SOTY award must be selected by a panel of local school board members.  This year’s panel included trustees from districts throughout the north central Texas (Region 11) area.

Katherine Sells, a judge from Lewisville ISD, applauded Dr. Chadwell’s leadership.  “His ability to lead through the strategic planning processes that he has initiated as well as his willingness to fill in as a substitute teacher make him a leader who not only leads with wisdom and discernment but also by example,” she shared.

Rick Beall, a judge from Springtown ISD, was moved by Chadwell’s responses to his interview questions.  “I was extremely impressed with the depth of Dr. Chadwell’s answers. It seemed like every answer had a story to back it up, which really provides great insight into how he handled certain situations.”

As the Region 11 winner, Chadwell will move on to the state level of the competition.  The state selection committee will interview all regional winners on August 25-26 and choose five finalists.  The finalists will then be called to participate in a second interview by the state selection committee in September, and the state winner will be announced at the Texas Association of School Administrators/Texas Association of School Boards (TASA/TASB) joint annual convention on September 29, 2023.

The state winner of the Superintendent of the Year award receives a $5,000 professional development award and a ring, which will be presented at the 2023 TASA/TASB Joint Annual Convention. All other finalists will receive a $1,000 award.  The award program is funded by Balfour and coordinated by TASB.

Texas is divided into 20 education service center regions.  ESC Region 11 serves 76 traditional school districts and 90 charter schools in the north central Texas area.