An administrator with Carroll ISD in Southlake has been named the finalist for the Argyle ISD superintendent position.
Courtney Carpenter, who has served as deputy superintendent for Carroll ISD for the last two years, was named the lone finalist at the AISD board meeting June 22.
There is a state-mandated 21-day waiting period before she can officially be under contract as the district superintendent.
What happened
The school district announced Superintendent Telena Wright’s retirement in May. She has served as superintendent since 2009 and has been with the district since 2000. The board used search firm Leasor Crass to help with the superintendent search.
Zooming in
Carpenter has 25 years of experience in public education and possesses a “wealth of valuable experience from fast-growth and high-performing districts, having served in various leadership positions at both campus and district levels,” a district news release stated, adding “among many areas of strengths, she excels in growing leaders, cultivating relationships, accountability and student growth.”
Before working in CISD, she served in Midlothian ISD for six years as a campus principal before being promoted to director of instructional support, executive director of innovation and learning, and chief administrative officer. She also held the interim superintendent of schools role before taking the position in Carroll ISD. Her career also includes time in the classroom as she taught math for five years in third to 11th grades.
Diving in deeper
At the meeting, Carpenter told the board she appreciated Argyle ISD and its “commitment to excellence in education” and that it has set an example for other districts.
“From academics to athletics, fine arts to community service, Eagles have continued to soar and exemplify the spirit of what it’s about to be an Eagle, and so I’m very honored to be considered for that opportunity to join this team,” she said. “As superintendent, I’m absolutely acutely aware of the responsibilities this role will take and the fast growth this community is facing, and I look forward to jumping in with both feet.”
Carpenter is married, and she and her husband have two college-age children with their younger child beginning college this fall. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Sam Houston State University, her master’s degree from the University of North Texas and her doctorate from Dallas Baptist University.
Quote of note
“It’s a community of excellence, high expectations, high accountability and that’s the environment I want to be in,” Carpenter told Community Impact, prefacing her remarks by saying that for years, Argyle has been a “destination district” for families but also for aspiring administrators. “Coming from Southlake Carroll, coming from Midlothian ISD, communities have high expectations, and I just feel like that’s what I [can] bring to Argyle and be part of that and be part of what it is to be Eagle.”
What they’re saying
“Dr. Carpenter’s experience with a fast-growth district, her experience in a high-performing district, her leadership skills, care for students, passion to serve and vision are a few of the numerous attributes that inspired the board of trustees to unanimously name her our lone finalist for Superintendent of Argyle ISD,” AISD board President Sam Slaton said in an email. “Our search firm, Leasor Crass, did an excellent job of providing the board with highly qualified candidates. We are excited for Dr. Carpenter, and her family, to join our Argyle ISD community and [are] confident in her abilities to help us continue to grow our standard of excellence in providing the best educational experience for our students.”
