The Garland Independent School District has a new leader.
Superintendent Bob Morrison hit the ground running as he started his first week on the job. He made classroom rounds Tuesday morning, listening and shaping his vision for students.
"Ultimately, everything in this job is about instruction, you know," he said. "It's not about budgets. It's not about a stadium. It's not about a football team. It's not about a fine arts program. We need to prepare the students instructionally for their future."
With tough budget times forcing Texas school districts all over to weather a financial storm, Morrison said his focus is on the Garland Independent School District and staying competitive.
"There's needs in Garland that maybe a Plano doesn't have, and there's needs that Plano has that Garland maybe doesn't have," he said. "Internally, what I'm looking for is the things that are going well. Let's continue to do them, and the things that we're not doing well, what do we need to put in place to change that?"
The 25-year educator spent the last four years as the head of the Mansfield school district, where he upgraded technology, leading an initiative to give every high school student an iPad
"We have to think of what's coming in the next five years," Morrison said. "Even this elementary, the things that they're using right now will be out of date when they're in high school and, as a superintendent, you have to make sure you stay on the cutting edge and make sure you're providing those resources."
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"We want them to leave here prepared," said Jenny Roberson, Watson Technology Center for Math and Science principal. "And he seemed excited about technology."
Morrison said leading Garland ISD, the second biggest district in Dallas County, is his dream job.
He takes over from Curtis Culwell who retired from the district after 13 years.
Garland ISD has 58,000 students living in Garland, Rowlett and Sachse.
