Elizabeth Celania-Fagen was announced as the lone finalist for Humble ISD’s superintendent position at a May board of trustees meeting.[/caption]

The Humble ISD board of trustees named Elizabeth Celania-Fagen the lone finalist for superintendent at its May 24 meeting.

Fagen’s appointment as superintendent will be voted on at a June 14 board meeting after a 21-day period for public input. If approved, she will replace Superintendent Guy Sconzo, who will serve as a consultant until December.

“When [district officials] went to Colorado [to meet with Fagen and her references], we met with a lot of different people,” board of trustees President Robert Sitton said. “And everyone, to a person, said it’s all about the kids [for Fagen]. She leads from the kids up, not the top down.”

If her employment is approved by the board, Fagen will complete a 100-day plan with the district, Sitton said. She will evaluate the district’s personnel, learn about the culture and structure of HISD and set out goals to accomplish during her first 100-day stretch, he said.

Fagen comes to Humble with 20 years of experience in education, including eight as a superintendent of large school districts. Before arriving at HISD, she served as superintendent of the 67,000-student Douglas County School District in Colorado.

Douglas County School District, like HISD, is a fast-growing suburban district. Douglas County, which is located between Denver and Colorado Springs, has grown by 8,000 students in the last six years, according to HISD.

“[I] really understand the opportunity [to be] in an excellent school district—not only as an educator, but as a parent—that would be a gift for my children,” Fagen said. “I’m honored, grateful, thankful and excited.”

The national search for a new HISD superintendent began in January. The applicant pool included 43 individuals from 14 states. Initial interviews were conducted with seven applicants, and three finalists were asked to participate in second round interviews.