Katy ISD looks within for next superintendent

Retiring superintendent Dr. Lance Hindt during the Katy ISD board meeting at the Education Support Complex in Katy, TX, May 21, 2018. (Michael Wyke / For the Chronicle)

>>Keep clicking for a timeline of the controversy surrounding Lance Hindt... less Retiring superintendent Dr. Lance Hindt during the Katy ISD board meeting at the Education Support Complex in Katy, TX, May 21, 2018. (Michael Wyke / For the Chronicle)

>>Keep clicking for a timeline of ... more Photo: Michael Wyke, Freelance / For The Chronicle Photo: Michael Wyke, Freelance / For The Chronicle Image 1 of / 27 Caption Close Katy ISD looks within for next superintendent 1 / 27 Back to Gallery

The next person to take over the reins as superintendent at the Katy Independent School District is likely already working there.

Katy ISD officials confirmed the district is currently looking “in house” to find the successor for the outgoing and embattled Superintendent Lance Hindt. On Friday, a district spokeswoman said she hadn’t been informed if the effort could ever extend beyond the ranks of current employees. A job listing for the position on the district’s website says they are looking for “KISD employees only” with current or former experience as a school principal.

Deputy Superintendent Ken Gregorski, who has been filling Hindt’s seat at Katy ISD board meetings since July, was named acting superintendent last month. Before coming to Katy, Gregorski was assistant superintendent for human resources in the Allen ISD and also held a senior position at the Stafford Municipal School Districts.

Local education activist Sean Dolan said the search for a new superintendent should extend beyond the district.

KATY ISD: District finds interim replacement for embattled superintendent Lance Hindt

“As a parent and taxpayer in Katy ISD, I felt compelled to ensure that the search for a new superintendent reached as wide of an audience as possible after learning that the Board of Trustees had decided to limit the scope of their search to an 11 day internal posting,” he said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle.

The manner Dolan used to encourage more applicants for the superintendent’s position resulted in a cease-and-desist letter from the Katy ISD general counsel.

“You are not an employee of Katy ISD, and the district has not approved you or your company as a vendor which has the authority to speak or collect information for Katy ISD,” according to the Dec. 5 letter from Justin Graham, the district’s general counsel.

District officials said Dolan - who has his own ambitions to serve on the Katy ISD board - essentially cut and pasted the Katy ISD superintendent’s job posting and added it to his Katy ISD-focused website, abetterlegacy.com. The letter claims the advertisements also include false and misleading information not consistent with the district’s policies.

“You indicate that you are authorized to accept resumes and applications on behalf of Katy ISD and that interested applicants should contact you directly,” according to the letter from Graham. “The district demands that you cease any action where you are trying to profit from or speak for the District. The district also demands you remove any misleading or false information.” The letter also demanded Dolan stop using any version of Katy ISD’s logo.

DOLAN: Katy ISD critic announces run for trustee

Dolan acknowledged his “unsolicited offer” to help Katy ISD officials expand the search for a new superintendent wasn’t well received.

“The Board of Trustees have chosen to wait nearly seven months to launch a search to fill a critical position that will now be vacated in less than a month,” Dolan said in a statement. “By avoiding their most critical duty for nearly seven months, the Board of Trustees have now put the district in the position of requiring an acting superintendent to bridge the gap.”

In their cease and desist letter, Katy ISD officials also demanded Dolan remove any Katy ISD logo or trademark from any website or other social media account that he controls.

“So that we are absolutely clear,” the letter to Dolan stated, “you are not employed by, affiliated with or authorized to speak on behalf of the District in any capacity, to include any and all employment matters.”

Regardless of the letter from Katy ISD, Dolan said he intends to continue funding a national search for the Katy ISD superintendent but will direct the candidates to the appropriate Katy ISD channel.

HINDT CONTROVERSY: Judge claims Katy ISD superintendent was a 'vicious bully' in school

Hindt earlier announced his plan to retire at the end of the year amid the growing controversy over decades-old bullying allegations against him. During a March 19 work-study meeting, Katy businessman Greg Gay accused Hindt of assaulting him in a junior high bathroom when they were both students. Hindt denied being Gay’s tormentor but later acknowledged that he did “dumb things” when he was younger. The Katy ISD superintendent also has been accused of plagiarizing his doctoral dissertation while a postgraduate student at the University of Houston. The investigation into that matter is ongoing, officials said.

Hindt is scheduled to receive a $750,000 payment when he formally leaves the district. The generous payout was added to his employment contact the same night Hindt announced his intention to step down at the end of the year.

mike.glenn@chron.com