Superintendent's Welcome

Dear Tiger Community,

The opportunities this year for students have been endless as our faculty have "raised the bar" to provide the best education and programs for our students. We continue to appreciate our support staff, teachers, administrators, and school board trustees who have been positive contributors to accomplishing the goals set for our amazing school community! The theme is: ELEVATE: Leaders, Scholars, and Athletes!

We have set our goals high, and these expectations will lead to tremendous academic and extra-curricular success. Bond 2022 was approved after the Short & Long Range Planning Committee compiled future plans and needs for facilities. This process was a couple of years in the making. A full demographic report was done as well and indications display we must be prepared for the continual growth through this proactive measure. We have a plan created to guide our district beyond the next decade for facilities!

Thrall Elementary, Thrall Middle, and Thrall High School were able to capture UIL District Academic Championships in 2022 (as the streak continues) and many other positive activities have been a success for our students. We have competed all the way to the State Level of competition in UIL (Volleyball State Finalists in 2021 & State Runner-up in 2022), State Band Marching, FFA, and UIL Academics while performing at exemplary levels in other events; qualified for Nationals in FCCLA and building high-quality programs throughout the district.

Thrall ISD made significant adjustments the past few years for our district calendar as input was collected by our families and faculty. This has proven to be a model for many districts in Central Texas as we plan for an early start in August and limited amount of interruptions throughout the year.

Thrall ISD has remained committed to the high levels of success expected with academics, leadership, and our extra-curricular programs as we keep pace to conquer the UIL Lone Star Cup!.

It is time to ELEVATE: Leaders, Scholars, & Athletes!

Superintendent of Schools,

Tommy Hooker

DALI National Awards of Distinction Program Recognizes Richter and Hooker

The Director of Safety and Custodial Services for Thrall Independent School District, Russel Richter, was recently honored for a National Award nomination through District Administration Leadership Institute (DALI). DALI cordially invited Russel Richter and Tommy Hooker, Superintendent of Schools, to be honored at the District Administration Leadership Institute Superintendent Summit December 13-15, 2023, in the sun-kissed city of Naples, Florida. All finalists were recognized and winners announced during the Awards Ceremony.

The practices for hiring and recruiting in Thrall ISD made them an esteemed finalist for the District Administration National Awards of Distinction Program. Their dedication, innovation, and excellence in education have brought them to this moment of well-deserved recognition, Districts of Distinction through Creative Recruitment and Retention Solutions. At the heart of Districts of Distinction is the belief that remarkable, home-grown programs can inspire and be replicated by educators nationwide. Thrall ISD has been using retention and recruiting techniques for pioneering initiatives that have made a significant impact on student achievement, engagement, and overall educational excellence. The retention rate of employees has been at an amazing level and staff are comfortable with the many mandates handed to them from the TEA, Texas Education Agency, in the area of safety. By sharing this successful model, we empower educators within our Region 13 and state to foster positive change in education and to make their schools safer. Students and parents appreciate these efforts when the planning, coordination, and implementation is present.

The DALI summit attracts the most influential leaders in education across the country, offering a rare opportunity to share insights, strategies, and best practices. Thrall ISD was elated to be a part of the National Awards program in its first year of recognizing district programs, leaders, and practices.