On Feb. 25, Dr. Bob Morrison started his tenure as superintendent of Garland ISD. He comes from Mansfield ISD where he led many technological developments that included the one-on-one iPad initiative for high school students among others.
Former Superintendent Dr. Curtis Culwell led the district for 14 years. His contributions included the March of Dimes fundraisers and the Special Events Center, which was renamed the Curtis Culwell Center upon his retirement. When asked about whether or not Morrison will build upon what Dr. Culwell has created, Morrison believes that Dr. Culwell laid a good foundation, but change in the district is inevitable.
“Right now I have teachers out there telling me some things they would like to see improved upon,” Morrison said. “And we’ll take all that input in and see if we can develop a plan to attack it. But you can anticipate some additional technology and professional development.”
Morrison began his career as a teacher in Moore, Okla. in 1989. He then worked his way through several degrees and several administrative positions within Mansfield ISD before landing a position as the superintendent of Mansfield ISD.
“As a teacher you impact a classroom,” Morrison said. “As a principal, you impact a building. As superintendent, you impact a district, and the excitement of being able to impact 58,000 students is exciting and a challenge.”
Despite having to be briefed constantly and having to sit in many meetings to stay updated, he considers dealing with legislation, accountability funding and the fact that students are required to take many tests to graduate from high school, as the most challenging part of being a superintendent. He also wants students to be prepared, but he believes that having to take 15 tests in order to graduate from high school is excessive.
“It seems like we test the students so much that we forget there’s other things for students to learn: leadership, organizational skills, [and] balancing a checkbook,” Morrison said. “There’s skill sets that people need to know that we have to get back to providing students.”
Mansfield ISD is about half the size of GISD but has similar issues as GISD. Like Mansfield, GISD possesses a small town feel he says.
“I think because of Garland’s size, [there is] a greater opportunity to provide more, a greater variety of things they can choose from,” Morrison said. “When a district is much smaller, you really can’t do those things until it gets bigger.”
Morrison feels that GISD’s strengths are its finances and its staff. He believes a lot can be done since the district’s finances are in shape and that its staff is by far the strongest asset.
“Their love from the district comes out in the way they teach their classes,” Morrison said.
Since his arrival at GISD, Morrison has felt very welcomed by everyone and senses a family atmosphere in GISD. Once he and his family move to the Garland area, he plans on enrolling his children into Garland schools.
“[The schools are] a great opportunity for my kids to experience some things they would not have been able to experience in the district we were in,” Morrison said.
Morrison has been visiting with every campus in GISD meeting with teachers, principals and staff. He introduces himself for about two minutes and then holds a question and answer session.
“By the questions they ask, that tells me the things I should be focusing on because my job as superintendent is to support the schools,” Morrison said. “And I can’t really support them if I don’t understand what their problems are.”
When he visited North Garland on April 18, he received many questions from teachers concerning the MST program.
“I don’t really think the teachers at North Garland have a lot to worry about,” Morrison said. “It’s an outstanding program, and it’s doing just fine. As long as we continue to make sure we support them, give them the necessary tools and give the students the tools necessary to be successful, they’ll be okay.”
When asked to describe his management style, he mentions that being involved in every detail when you have 8,000 employees is impossible. He believes if someone is in a leadership position, the best thing to do is to listen.
“I think the biggest mistake we make in leadership is that we spend most of our time talking and very little time listening,” Morrison said. “People will tell you what’s going on, if you just stop long enough to listen to them.”