NEISD welcomes new Associate superintendent and CIO

Janna Hawkins has been named Associate Superintendent of Instruction and Technology Services and Chief Instructional Officer (CIO) for North East ISD. She was officially appointed by the Board of Trustees on July 21, 2011.

Hawkins is committed to increasing student achievement, fostering best practices in teaching and learning, and creating schools that build learning communities and promote high expectations and standards for all students and stakeholders.

She began her career in education as a middle school teacher in 1987. She later served as a high school teacher and Career and Technology Department Chair. Her early career as a school administrator began as Assistant Principal at Judson High School in 1997 and then Principal at Kitty Hawk Middle School in 2001.

Hawkins was promoted to Director of Secondary Curriculum at Judson in 2004, where she served in a district leadership role to direct, develop, coordinate and supervise instructional programs in a school district of 18,000 students. She mentored and planned with secondary campus leaders to improve instruction and evaluate effective educational programs. While at Judson, she also collaborated with district staff to open a new campus, Wagner High School.

In 2006, Hawkins accepted a position in the Brownsville Independent School District to manage 16 campuses as an Area Assistant Superintendent. In addition to mentoring, guiding, supervising and evaluating principals, she supported the alignment of instruction, curriculum and technology to strengthen teaching and learning.

She joined NEISD in 2007 as Executive Director of School Improvement where she directed the instructional programs and initiatives for 65 schools and more than 66,000 students. This included developing, implementing and monitoring a long-range plan for curriculum development and implementation of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills across all grade levels, core subject areas, Library Services and the Gifted and Talented program. This horizontal and vertical alignment, along with the use of quantitative data to evaluate progress, enabled Hawkins to continue the district’s tradition of excellence as academic standards increased at the state and national levels.

Hawkins holds a Master of Education in School Administration degree from Trinity University, a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from New Mexico State University and several professional certifications.

When she is not leading high quality instruction at NEISD, Hawkins is likely to be found around water, either diving or sailing. She and her husband Jim have two grown children and enjoy spending time with them and their families.

Posted on July 26, 2011