Looking back on his 33-year career in education, Katy ISD Superintendent Alton Frailey said he did not initially have ambitions to be a superintendent. “I never wanted to be a superintendent, period,” Frailey said. The reason, he said, was because it involved getting caught up in politics and bureaucratic matters. Despite his initial misgivings about the work of a superintendent, Frailey said he has enjoyed the job. “I had no idea how much I’d enjoy the work here in Katy,” he said. “It’s just been a tremendous nine years, and I just love so much of what we’ve accomplished here and the folks I’ve met.” Frailey was the superintendent of DeSoto ISD—located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area—prior to coming to Katy and also was the superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools in Ohio. Frailey began his career as a teacher at Goose Creek ISD in 1983. Frailey said the biggest challenge for the next superintendent will be maintaining a sense of community as the district continues to grow. He said one big challenge is working in a well-performing school district. “The challenge is how do you manage the growth and maintain the standards that this community has,” he said. Frailey said his retirement plans include traveling and serving as president of the American Association of School Administrators. “I just want to thank the folks in the Katy community for being very, very supportive. [I also want to] thank the parents for letting me serve their children,” he said.