New Cleburne ISD leaders show wide variety of experience

From Staff Reports

The three new leaders who fill out Cleburne ISD Superintendent Dr. Ronny Beard’s revamped administration bring a wide variety of experience to the positions they will fill.

CISD supplied the following biographical information about each person.

Assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction Dr. Darlene Callender will be the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction.

Callender served in the same capacity for Dripping Springs ISD before being hired at CISD on July 28.

She has served in of education for 26 years, 10 of which were as a district administrator. Her district level positions include curriculum director in Decatur and Mabank ISDs.

Callender began her career as a teacher in Houston, Aliefand Cypress-Fairbanks ISDs in the Houston area. She was also an assistant principal in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD and a principal in Spring Branch ISD.

She has worked in rural, urban and suburban districts at the 2-A to 5-A levels .

Callender earned a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Houston, a master’s degree in education at Sam Houston State University, and a Doctor of Eduation degree at the University of North Texas.

She holds certifications as a teacher, principal, superintendent and supervisor.

Callender was born in Fort Worth, and she and her husband, David, are from families of educators.

They have a son, daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren.

During her doctoral studies, Callender completed research on long-term exemplary campuses in Texas.

Chief financial officer

David Johnson will serve as chief financial officer for Cleburne ISD.

Johnson, a certified public accountant, has more than 18 years experience in accounting, including four years as CFO for Keene ISD from 2003-06. He is affiliated with a public accounting practice in Granbury.

Most of his career has been in public accounting, including work with public school districts in the audit process, and he spent two years in corporate tax accounting.

Johnson is a graduate of Cleburne High School. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Baylor University.

Johnson’s position will be at assistant superintendent level, and he is expected to assume his duties in mid-August.

Director of human resources

Randy Stone moves from being instructional curriculum coordinator to director for human resources.

Stone came to CISD in August 2003 as principal of Adams Elementary. During his tenure at Adams, the campus received Texas Education Agency exemplary and recognized honors for student performance on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test, and two Distinguished School awards as a Title I campus.

As curriculum coordinator his duties included the Career And Technology Education program and managing State Compensatory Education funds for at-risk students. Stone was also instrumental in the implementation of the Career Pathways program for eighth graders and high school students. As textbook custodian he implemented an electronic bar coding inventory system for the district’s textbooks.

Before coming to Cleburne, Stone was an elementary principal for seven years at Early ISD.

Stone began his teaching career in 1974, working with students at the Abilene State School. His career in education includes teaching and coaching in the Eula and Paint Creek ISDs.

His first administrative appointment was with Haskell Consolidated ISD, followed by the post of principal on a grades 4-6 campus at Stamford ISD. As a principal, his campuses received TEA exemplary honors seven times and recognized honors a total of five times.

He has a Bachelor of Science degree from McMurry College and a Master of Education degree in school administration from Sul Ross State University. He completed his superintendent certification in 1996.