Published: June 11, 2009 09:27 pm      

O’Brien to head up Hubbard ISD

Randy O’Brien, the Blooming Grove High School principal, has been named as the lone finalist for the job of Hubbard Independent School District superintendent, said Hubbard school board president Larry Hawthorne.

“He lives within the city. He’s a quality person. He was available and he knows a lot about small schools. He came highly recommended, and he has the experience we needed,” Hawthorne said.

The decision was unanimous to hire him, Hawthorne said.

Hubbard’s prior superintendent, Walter Padgett became the superintendent of Schulenburg ISD around the first of the year. Lance Johnson, who had been the Hubbard High principal, acted as interim superintendent in the spring and has already found a new job at another district, Hawthorne said.

O’Brien is currently in the required 21-day waiting period, but could be on the new job by July 1.

Hubbard voters approved a bond sale to make repairs and modifications to the two school buildings, but because of the economy, and lack of response from the state on guaranteeing the sale, the district hasn’t sold the bonds yet, Hawthorne said.

“Once we get approval of the guaranteed funding, it reduces our risk on the $8 million,” O’Brien said. “We thought that was going to happen in January, but now we might not hear anything until September.”

If the state guarantees the bonds, the district could save money on the loan, Hawthorne pointed out.

“One or two percent makes a big difference on an $8 million bond,” he said.

A meeting on the bonds, and the school district’s options, will be held prior to the next school board meeting later this month, Hawthorne said.

Blooming Grove hired O’Brien in 2006 from Tarkington ISD, a district near Houston. O’Brien has a degree in business, and worked in retail management for seven years before becoming a teacher, then administrator. He has been an administrator for the last twelve years.

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