State Finalists Named for 2024 Superintendent of the Year Award

Austin— Five Texas public school superintendents have been named as state finalists for the annual Superintendent of the Year award by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).  

This year’s award coincides with the 40^th anniversary of the award program, which was established in 1984 to recognize exemplary school leaders.  

“The Superintendent of the Year program was specifically designed to showcase the outstanding work happening in school districts from across the state to highlight the power of excellent and transformative leadership in public education,” said TASB Executive Director Dan Troxell. “We’re especially excited to celebrate this year’s state finalists in conjunction with this milestone anniversary for the program. I fully expect the Superintendent of the Year Award will continue to be the premier honor for district leaders for decades to come.” 

The five finalists were selected by a TASB committee of school board members who interviewed 18 regional nominees put forward by education service centers (ESC) across the state. The candidates were evaluated based on their work in improving student outcomes, developing a strong team-of-eight relationship, fiscal management, advocacy, and their ongoing commitment to education innovation, improvement, and leadership.  

Nederland ISD Trustee Nicholas Phillips, who chaired the TASB selection committee, thanked all the superintendents who participated in the selection process, which included interviews on Aug. 23-24 in Austin.  

“On behalf of the committee, we want to thank all of the school boards that took the time to nominate their superintendents,” Phillips said. “We’re also grateful to the ESCs that review all of the nominations and put forward such outstanding regional finalists for consideration. Coming up with five state finalists is extremely difficult from among such a talented pool of public school leaders, and the selection committee truly enjoyed hearing about the great work happening in districts across the state.” 

The five state finalists, representing districts that range in size from 900 to more than 35,000 students, are: 

Gonzalo Salazar, Los Fresnos CISD, Region 1 

Salazar has served as the superintendent of Los Fresnos CISD since 2006. The district encompasses 487 square miles and serves more than 10,350 students in Cameron County, located just north of the Mexico border. In selecting Salazar as a finalist, the committee noted his commitment to public education, excellent student outcomes, and strong fiscal management.   

Nicole Poenitzsch, Bellville ISD, Region 6 

Poenitzsch has served as the superintendent of Bellville ISD since 2019. The district spans 385 square miles and enrolls about 2,300 students in Austin County between Brenham and Sealy west of the greater Houston metropolitan area. The committee cited Poenitzsch’s leadership, high expectations for students, and her community involvement in naming her a state finalist.  

Brad Owen, Burkburnett ISD, Region 9 

Owen has served as the superintendent of Burkburnett ISD since November 2020, where he has spent 27 years of his public education career. Burkburnett ISD enrolls about 3,252 students north of Sheppard Air Force Base in northeastern Wichita County. In naming him as a state finalist, the committee said it was impressed with his dynamic leadership style and his work to make sure all students benefit from a transformative public education.  

Kimberley Cantu, Mansfield ISD, Region 11 

Cantu has been the superintendent of Mansfield ISD since January 2020 and is in her 33^nd year of service in public education, including 26 in Mansfield. Located in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the district spans 94 square miles with 49 schools serving more than 35,000 students. The committee noted Cantu’s engagement with staff, students, and the community and her collaborative approach to meeting the learning needs of all students.  

Darryl Henson, Marlin ISD, Region 12 

Henson has served as the superintendent of Marlin ISD since 2020 and has been an educator for 18 years, including roles in Cedar Hill and Houston ISDs. The committee cited Henson’s commitment to improving student outcomes in a district that has been transitioning back to a locally elected board of trustees after an intervention from the Texas Education Agency. Located southeast of Waco, Marlin ISD enrolls more than 900 students in Falls County.  

These superintendents will advance to the next stage of the Superintendent of the Year competition, which takes place in September at txEDCON24 in San Antonio. The winner will be announced Saturday, Sept. 28, and will receive an award underwritten by program sponsor Balfour.