By Megan Wehring
DRIPPING SPRINGS — In early May, the Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees will officially vote for the next superintendent.
The board named Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz as the lone finalist in the superintendent search. The announcement was made during a special called meeting April 13. Pending approval, Morris-Kuentz will begin her tenure as superintendent in May.
Morris-Kuentz and her husband, John, a middle school teacher, are the parents of Timothy, Mikaela and Samuel. Her educational background consists of a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Texas at San Antonio, a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Houston Baptist University and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Texas at Austin.
She started her career in education in 1997 as a teacher at the Winston School San Antonio. Morris-Kuentz served the Alamo Heights district as a high school English teacher. In 2005, she served as the Director of Instructional and Research Technology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York.
Morris-Kuentz has extensive experience working in a fast-growing district as she has served in Lake Travis ISD since 2009. As deputy superintendent, she currently provides leadership for 11 elementary and secondary principals, as well as in the Curriculum and Instruction, Communications, Development and Corporate Relations, Administrative and Legal Services departments.
During her tenure at Lake Travis ISD, Morris-Kuentz served as acting superintendent and supervised the Human Resources, Athletics and Fine Arts departments.
Morris-Kuentz is looking forward to working with the Dripping Springs community to provide the best educational experiences for all students.
“It is an honor to be selected as superintendent finalist for Dripping Springs ISD,” Morris-Kuentz said. “I am eager to begin, and I look forward to learning our traditions, celebrating our progress, understanding our District’s and community’s needs, and thoughtfully supporting the exciting growth ahead. I am familiar with the opportunities and challenges in a fast-growing area, and I am confident we will work together as one Tiger family to achieve remarkable results.”
Board President Barbara Stroud said she believes Morris-Kuentz is a great fit.
“We are so pleased to announce Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz as the lone finalist for our superintendent position,” Stroud said. “Her experience, characteristics, and skills closely match the leadership profile that was developed with input from our community. We are confident that Dr. Morris-Kuentz will provide the strong leadership Dripping Springs needs to navigate the growth in our community and to help fulfill our commitment to provide an outstanding educational experience for every student in our District.”
Dripping Springs ISD partnered with JG Consulting to conduct a nationwide search for the district’s next superintendent. The process began in January with staff and community input to develop a leadership profile. Fifty applications were considered with comprehensive interviews of the top applicants.
