- Cleburne Independent School District
- About the Board
About the Board
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Cleburne Independent School District's seven-member Board of Trustees is elected at large. As the district’s governing board, trustees represent the community as they chart the direction of educational programs and services and establish the standard by which success is measured.
Responsibilities of the board include establishing policies for the operation of the district and for ensuring its financial viability. Trustees employ the superintendent, approve the budget, monitor expenditures, set the tax rate, and call bond elections.
Members are elected to a three-year term of office. On a 2-2-3 rotating basis, board seats are filled during the elections held on the general election day in May. Trustees provide service to the Cleburne ISD community without financial compensation. Candidates to the Board of Trustees must conform to the requirements of the Texas Education Code.
Regularly scheduled meetings of the Board of Trustees are generally held on the third Monday of each month, beginning with a closed session at 5 pm, followed by regular business at 6 pm (open to the public) in the Board Room of the CISD Central Offices Building, 505 N. Ridgeway, Suite 100. The public may address the trustees as a whole during the Board Audience portion of the meeting. Remarks may be related to any topic, whether agenda items or non-agenda items and are usually limited to three minutes. Sign-up for Board Audience must be done prior to the start of the meeting. Please refer to Board Policy BED (legal) and BED (local).
Meet Your Board
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Superintendent
Dr. Kyle Heath
Dr. Kyle Heath
Dr. Kyle Heath is honored to be starting his 29th year in public education as an instructional leader for the Cleburne Independent School District. He was hired by the CISD Board of Trustees on July 25, 2014.
Under Dr. Heath’s leadership:
*Cleburne ISD has been named to the National Advanced Placement Honor Roll in both 2014 and 2015
*Cleburne ISD teachers have written and posted online a vertically aligned K-12 curriculum guide
*The community approved a $130 million bond in May, 2016 to construct a new comprehensive high school, renovate the current high school into a Career Technology Center, relocate TEAM School to their own facility next to the Career Center, provide upgrades for the District’s two oldest elementary campuses, Cooke and Coleman, update instructional classroom technology district-wide and provide Chromebooks to every student in grades 6-12 beginning in January 2017.
During the 2016–2017 school year, teachers will be developing Safety Net Standards for each core subject in all grade levels. These essential standards will clearly identify for the student, and parent, the specific skills each student must learn during the school year.
Dr. Heath came to Cleburne after spending 5 years on the administrative staff of Mansfield ISD as both an area superintendent, overseeing one-third of the district’s campuses, and as an associate superintendent.
He began his career in education in 1987 as a social studies teacher and coach at Perry High School in Perry, Oklahoma.
Dr. Heath’s first campus administrative position came in 2000 as an assistant principal at Edmond Memorial High School in Edmond, Oklahoma, which was honored with the Department of Education Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence in 2001-02.
In 2003, he was promoted to the position of principal at the campus. During his tenure, Memorial HS ranked first among Oklahoma ACT averages in 2005, was first in the State in the Annual Performance Index in 2005, 2006 and 2008 in the large school division, and in his last six years as principal, a total of 59 MHS students were recognized as National Merit Scholarship finalists.
Dr. Heath received his Ed.D. in Administrative Leadership for Teaching and Learning in 2013 from Walden University. He has a Master’s Degree in Secondary Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma. His Bachelor's of Science Degree in Education is from Oklahoma State University.
Dr. Heath has been married for 29 years to Georgianne and has 2 daughters, Kylie and Michaela.
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Place 1
June BatesTerm: 2020 to 2023
June Bates
June Bates is serving her third term as a Trustee. She was a very involved CISD grandparent, serving as Golden Pride Band Boosters President when her two grandsons were in high school.
As a local business owner, Mrs. Bates is an active member of the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce, as past Chairman of the Board and sponsor of the Chamber Golf Tournament and the annual Shakespeare in the Park event. She is a proud graduate of Fort Worth’s Poly High School.
Mrs. Bates sought election to the Board of Trustees “to help make a difference in students’ lives, to get better pay and benefits for teachers and to help better prepare our community for the coming growth.” -
Place 2
Dr. Jason Tennison, SecretaryTerm: 2020 to 2023
Jason Tennison
Dr. Jason Tennison is serving his first term on the Board of Trustees, reflecting his longtime involvement with Cleburne schools as a parent and community stakeholder. He was elected to a leadership role as a member of the CISD Citizens’ Bond Committee and worked with fellow community members in shaping the elements within the Bond 2016 referendum, which included the construction of the new Cleburne High School. He is also a past member of the Cleburne Education Foundation Board of Directors, which included service as board president.
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Place 3
Wendell DempseyTerm: 2021 to 2024
Wendell Dempsey
Wendell Dempsey is serving his fourth term on the CISD Board of Trustees. A product of the Fort Worth public school system, he has seen three generations of family go through Cleburne schools. As a CISD Trustee, he had the opportunity to present his great-grandson with his Cleburne High School diploma.
Mr. Dempsey has owned the only auto machine shop in town for 51 years. He felt his experience and knowledge in business and finance were contributing qualities he could bring to the Board in his decision to run for the Board in 2008.
“The fact that we, as board members, come from all walks of life and careers, helps us come together to solve problems. We share a trust and respect for each other.” -
Place 4
John FinnellTerm: 2021 to 2024
John Finnell
Board Past-President John Finnell is a native of Cleburne and the father of three Cleburne High School graduates. He was just elected to his second term on the Board and is also a member of the Leadership TASB (Texas Association of School Boards) Class of 2018. He attended The University of North Texas and is a marketing consultant and account executive. He is a member of the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce and served on its Board of Directors.
Mr. Finnell first ran for the Board in 2015 because of his desire to be more involved in the school district and community. In taking his service as a Trustee to the next level in applying for Leadership TASB, he felt the experience would expand his understanding of the role and function of the school board and its members. He is currently a member of the TASB Legislative Action Committee. -
Place 5
Teddy Martyniuk, Vice PresidentTerm: 2021 to 2024
Teddy Martyniuk
Vice-President Teddy Martyniuk is the most tenured member of the CISD Board of Trustees, currently serving his fifth term in office. Five of his children have graduated from Cleburne schools. Their youngest is in middle school.
Mr. Martyniuk sought reelection in 2018 to continue his years of service to the District and the community. “It’s been an honor working with the administration in this school district. My goal is to make the right decisions with students in mind.”
A graduate of Midwestern State University, Mr. Martyniuk is a regional manager for a national retail corporation. During his years as a Trustee, he has been a board officer numerous times, seen the passage of three bond referendums and a TRE, the construction of three new elementary schools, the implementation of district-wide security and safety initiatives, digital devices for students PreK-12, and the building of a new high school which opened in December, 2019.
A Cleburne resident since 1999, he has been a member of numerous civic organizations including the Chamber of Commerce. His passion for serving others includes work with the intellectually disabled through Special Olympics and related programs. He has also spent years on the football field coaching future Cleburne Yellow Jackets. -
Place 6
Elizabeth Childress, PresidentTerm: 2022- 2025
Elizabeth Childress
Elizabeth Childress is in her third term as a Trustee and is currently serving as board president. After years of school involvement as a volunteer tutor, PTA member, and parent representative on the CISD Strategic Plan, Facilities Review and District Site-Based Decision-Making Committees, she chose to put the knowledge gained from those experiences to work as a member of the Board of Trustees.
She is a former student of Texas A & M University and has a background in marketing, public relations, and graphic design. Mrs. Childress is married to a CHS graduate; their daughter is a member of the CHS Class of 2016 and their son is a member of the Class of 2020. She chose to run for re-election to a third term as “there was more work to be done,” citing the Bond 2016 referendum, and with its passage, the construction of a new high school. -
Place 7
DeAnna KingTerm: 2022- 2025
DeAnna King
DeAnna King, Place 7, is currently filling a one-year unexpired term. She was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 2016, and has served as Board Secretary. Mrs. King is a founding member of the Cleburne Education Foundation and is chairperson of the CEF Nashville Lights fundraising event. She also served many years on the Cleburne Athletic Booster Club. A leader in the real estate community for more than 20 years, she is the current President of the Johnson County Association of Realtors, and has been chairman of various committees within the real estate industry. Her civic involvement also includes the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce. She grew up in Cleburne and is a 1989 graduate of Rio Vista High School. She is married to CHS graduate, Bryan King, and both their daughters are CHS graduates, with their youngest now a teacher and coach in the District.
Mrs. King views her role of school board member as one of service.
“I have always wanted to give back to the community that has given me and my family so much. Among the many strengths on our Board of Trustees is that we are all different, and have different views, but we all respect each other and the opinion of each member. We might disagree on some issues, but at the end of the day we agree to make the best decision as a whole for the kids of this school district. Ask any of our Trustees, and they will tell you that’s the reason we all do what we do.”