The interim superintendent of the Judson Independent School District, Milton “Rob” Fields III, has been named the lone finalist in the search for the district’s permanent leader.
Trustees voted unanimously for Fields Thursday evening. After the vote, principals and other staff in the audience jumped up and cheered.
Board Secretary Debra Eaton also got emotional.
“I'm so proud to be able to sit here and say to our students, our faculty, our staff, that Judson can grow their own,” said Eaton. “Our students can now look at our superintendent and say, ‘You know what? I can be that one day. I can come up through Judson and be the superintendent.’”
Fields is a graduate of Judson High School and has worked for the district for 16 years. He has led the district on an interim basis since former superintendent Jeanette Ball’s unusual mid-year departure in November.
He said his first goal as superintendent will be to bring everyone together after Ball’s resignation.
“Just to cultivate an atmosphere of togetherness, respect, not just with the faculty, but with the students, with the community, with everybody,” Fields said. “That's what I grew up with.”
Board President Jennifer Rodriguez said community members made it clear during the search process that they wanted someone they could trust and someone they knew.
“Our search firm told us they had never seen in a search before so many people put down the same name as the person that they thought should step into the superintendent role,” Rodriguez said.
Fields said he plans to stay with the district for as long as they’ll have him.
“From the day my wife said, ‘Hey, let's go into public education,’ it was all about getting back to Judson,” said Fields, 59. “My wife works in the district. She's a teacher over at Veterans Memorial. My daughter goes to school over at Veteran's. She's a junior. So, you know, this is home for us.”
Before becoming a school administrator, Fields served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years.
State law requires trustees to wait 21 days before formally voting to name Fields superintendent. That voted is slated to take place on May 11, just after the school board election.
Rodriguez said the vote to confirm his appointment will take place before the newly elected trustees are sworn in.
