Huey Kinchen, who is going into his 14th year working for Tomball ISD, took over in July as the superintendent of schools, replacing the recently retired John P. Neubauer. Kinchen served as the principal of Tomball High School from 1999 to 2004. He took over as the district's assistant superintendent until 2009, at which point he became the deputy superintendent.

"The transition to the new job has been pretty seamless," Kinchen said. "I feel very comfortable in the role, and the board has been very supportive. With their guidance it has not been a difficult transition at all."

Kinchen has lived in the district for 12 years. He has two grown children who are both Tomball High School graduates and he also has a granddaughter.

As the new superintendent of Tomball ISD, what do you bring to the table that will help the district continue to grow and succeed?

My years of experience in Tomball ISD have provided insight to our achievements and challenges. My longevity strengthens the transition in leadership by allowing us to refine procedures that will benefit our students and staff as we plan for the future. Furthermore, I know the people within the community, and I know their expectations.

Tell me a little more about what the superintendent is responsible for.

The superintendent is similar to a chief executive officer of a corporation. The superintendent of schools oversees operations of the district and ensures that all policies and procedures are followed correctly. The individual in this position implements administrative procedures at the direction of the board of trustees. The superintendent also works with the board to develop goals, establish educational standards and track academic performance. The superintendent works to fulfill the district's vision and mission as established by the board. Other duties incude responsible fiscal management, overseeing contracts and managing personnel.

How did your first school board meeting as superintendent go?

I got through my first board meeting unscathed. The last month Mr. Neubauer was here, he and I spent a lot of time discussing the transition and the changes in the job from deputy superintendent to superintendent. Before, I was one of many people who provided information to the superintendent to make a decision. As superintendent, my role is to be the final decision-maker after I gather input. Our decision making process is collaborative in nature. We collectively look at an issue, and we come up with a decision together.

What are your priorities heading into the new school year?

Our priority is to improve upon student success. We plan to accomplish this goal by hiring the best teachers and implementing effective teaching practices, as well as serving all students and targeting individual student needs. Mr. Neubauer has left the district in a great position. My goal is to bring us forward to the top tier level.

In terms of student performance, the goal is for students to be 100 percent successful. Along with that, we're looking to do more in the area of technology, incorporating initiatives into the classrooms. We're going to review our district strategic plan and part of that is going to be developing a technology strategic plan to go hand in hand. We're looking to gather a committee to look at the plan, and we're getting someone from outside the district with some fresh eyes to help. We're going to start that sometime in the fall. Part of integrating technology into our instructional model is going to involve staff development and getting more teachers involved in the process.

What are the long-term objectives for the district?

We are focused on exceeding state standards by providing an environment where students can be successful. When people hear Tomball ISD we want them to think of an outstanding district where they want to send their children to school. We want our community to be proud of the education their children receive in our classrooms. Success can be defined differently by all students. Therefore, it is our responsibility as educators to provide our students with the tools they need to be successful.

As our district continues to grow, we're going to look closely at those campuses most in need. We are going to look at staffing models to try to determine if we need to give assistance to those campuses that need it most. We want to give students the opportunities they need to be successful so, when they leave TISD, they can be productive citizens.

What are some accomplishments that you are proud of from your past work within the district?

I am proud that while working as the principal of Tomball High School, the campus earned TEA's Exemplary rating for the first time in history. Overseeing Tomball High School's $27 million bond renovation project to expand the campus in 2000 is another memorable moment. I am proud of the team effort put forth by the students, teachers and staff. They were flexible during each construction phase, but they also remained focused on academics.

As the assistant superintendent of administrative services, I established new discipline management procedures to keep students in school rather than removing them from the classroom.

A few months have passed since voters approved the TISD bond in May. How have things been going so far in terms of planning some of the bond projects?

We are in the preliminary stages of planning for the four new schools and other construction projects to be completed under Bond 2013. We are reviewing architectural portfolios to select the firms we will work with as we move forward with our projects.