Administrative changes at the district level have been announced by Cleburne ISD, with Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Andrea Hensley to now oversee human resources as the Assistant Superintendent of HR.

                Dr. Chris Jackson, executive director of research, data and accountability, has been promoted to Assistant Superintendent of research, data and school improvement. The district will be posting for the now vacant position of assistant superintendent over curriculum and instruction according to Superintendent Dr. Kyle Heath.

                “We’ve been operating under the restructure of these positions for most of the school year,” Heath said. “It is time to make these changes official. It is definitely a win-win for CISD with these two administrators. Both are tremendous assets to the district, our staff and our schools.  Dr. Hensley will bring a pair of fresh eyes to human resources. In promoting Dr. Jackson to assistant superintendent, we are enhancing the work he has been doing with our campuses in his new role. Chris has done a great job with our campus administrators in bringing additional strength to student learning.”

 “It is a good time to do this,” Heath said. “This shores up some of the areas within Central Office before it gets to the busy season, especially in HR with retirements, vacancies in positions and personnel movement that is typical within the second semester as it gets closer to the end of the school year. I’m looking forward to seeing the work and achievements of Dr. Hensley and Dr. Jackson in their new roles.”

Hensley recently celebrated her fifth anniversary with CISD, following her employment in November of 2014. She came to Cleburne from Mansfield ISD, where she was a middle school campus principal. Her 27 years in public education began as a high school business education teacher, followed by that of counselor and coordinator of guidance and counseling services with MISD. Prior to her role of campus leader at Brooks Wester Middle school, she was the principal at Martha Reid Elementary.

“The past five years working directly with the Curriculum and Instruction team and our principals have been some of the most rewarding of my career,” Hensley said. “These people have become my second family. While I am sad that I will not work with them in the same capacity moving forward, I am thrilled that I still get to be a part of their world as a fellow member of the CISD family.”

“As I move into HR, I am excited about the great team that I get to join there,” she said. “The HR department has an amazing team and I am looking forward to all that I will learn from them. I love learning and growing, and I just hope that I can continue to have a positive impact on our wonderful school district.”

Jackson will soon pass the 20-year milestone as an educator, which began in 2000 as a high school science teacher. His resume with CISD includes assistant principal for Gerard and Santa Fe Elementary Schools, followed by three years as principal of Santa Fe.

In 2012, he was named CISD director of secondary curriculum. In April of 2014, he was tapped to serve as campus leader of Cleburne High School, where he served for two years before returning to district administration in his current capacity, as member of the Department of Student Services.

“I admit to being excited,” Jackson said. “I’m looking forward to this new challenge. This will give me the opportunity to work more closely with our campuses, particularly our principals, in building their leadership capacity. This is really an extension of what I’ve already been doing—and will give me more opportunity to work with principals to build systems of intervention for school improvement. I think my experience in working as a principal on both ends of the K-12 spectrum helps me understand the problems and challenges our principals are facing, whether it relates to pre-kindergarten or graduating seniors. I’ve been there, and that helps me have a better context in situations on any campus.”

“I will also be working in partnership with the curriculum and instruction team, which will help us develop a higher level of alignment between assessment and accountability,” Jackson said. “It’s great to be on the CISD team--and working as a member of the team in educating our students. We are doing some great things in curriculum, and we have a very bright future as a district.”

In addressing the leadership vacancy in curriculum and instruction, Heath said efforts will begin immediately.

“We want to hire the best person to lead our C and I program,” he said. “If we are ready, we could be taking a name to our Board of Trustees in January.”