FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (July
27, 2004)
ESC REGION 12 ANNOUNCES SUPERINTENDENT
OF THE YEAR
WACO, TEXAS – The Education Service Center
(ESC) Region 12 is pleased to announce that George
Kazanas, superintendent of China
Spring ISD has been named the 2004 Region 12 Superintendent
of the Year (SOTY). Kazanas will represent Region
12 as its nominee for the 2004 Texas Superintendent
of the Year, which is coordinated by the Texas Association
of School Boards (TASB). The state winner will be
announced on Sept. 17.
“Kazanas is a remarkable
leader and we are proud
to have him represent Region
12 as a nominee for the
state award. This prestigious
award is a tribute to Kazanas,
his staff, students, and
community,” said Tom
Norris, executive director
for ESC Region 12.
The Region 12 and the Texas
Superintendent of the Year
awards are given yearly
to an outstanding school
superintendent who has exhibited
leadership in the following
areas: Administration and
School Climate, Student
Performance School Board-Superintendent
Relations, School Improvement,
Fiscal Management, Facilities
Management, Instructional
Management, Student Management,
Personnel Management, School-Community
Relations, and Professional
Growth and Development.
The winner is selected
on the basis of his/her
responses to a series of
essay questions and on his/her
personal interview with
the panel of judges, consisting
of local school board members.
Candidates are nominated
by their respective school
board, but respective school
board members are not allowed
to be on the panel of judges.
“I was very humbled
to be nominated for the
award by my board of trustees
and it’s an incredible
honor to be selected as
the regional winner,”
said George Kazanas.
Kazanas began his career
with China Spring ISD in
1994, serving as superintendent
for the last five years
and as an administrator
the first five years. China
Spring has grown by one
third from 1,200 to 1,800
students during this time
and continues to meet high
academic standards under
the leadership of Kazanas.
The most notable achievements
of Kazanas include the successful
development and voter approval
of a $9 million construction
project in May 2002; maintaining
an exemplary accountability
rating from the Texas Education
Agency (TEA) for the 2001-03
school years; receiving
a rating of “Superior
Achievement” under
Texas’ new schools
Financial Integrity Rating
System of Texas (FIRST)
in 2003; maintaining a high
level of communication with
district administrators,
faculty/staff members, Board
of Trustees, parents, and
the community; implementing
an innovative teacher appraisal
policy, and developing a
comprehensive staff development
program.
“I’m proud
that our district remains
a pro-active district with
high standards and expectations
in a time that our student
enrollment continues to
increase,” Kazanas
said.
Kazanas has assumed leadership
roles in a number of professional
capacities, which include
acting asgroup chair for
the monthly Region 12 Superintendent
Forums, serving as president
of the Rio Brazos Education
Cooperative Management Board,
as a member of the governing
board of the McLennan County
Challenge Academy, and as
a representative to the
Executive Committee for
the Texas Association of
School Administrators (TASA).
In addition to active participation
in all aspects of the school
district setting, he is
a member of the Parent Teacher
Association and other civic/church
groups.
Kazanas has completed post
graduate work through a
superintendent academy with
Lamar University and received
his master’s and bachelor’s
degrees from BaylorUniversity.
To continue his professional
growth, he plans to enroll
in Tarleton State University’s
doctoral program in educational
leadership this fall. The
former West High School
graduate is married to Kimberly
Kazanas and they have two
boys, ages 7 and 5.
ESC Region 12 will host
a reception in the fall
to honor Kazanas as well
as the Region 12 Teachers
and School Board of the
Year.
For more details or a photo
of Kazanas, contact Jennifer
Marshall-Higgins at 254-297-1198
or jhiggins@esc12.net. George
Kazanas may be reached at
254/836-1115.
About
TASB’s Superintendent
of the Year Program
Program information is
available at www.tasb.org/products_services/relations/soty/.
About
ESC Region 12
One of 20 centers throughout Texas, ESC Region 12
assists 78 independent school districts and ten charter
schools in attaining the Texas Education Agency’s
goals and objectives. Based in Waco, with offices
in Copperas Cove, Corsicana, Goldthwaite, Hillsboro,
and Teague the ESC Region 12’s service area
includes Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Freestone,
Hamilton, Hill, Lampasas, Limestone, McLennan, Mills,
and Navarro counties.
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