A Message from the Board President Introducing Dr. Mark Ruffin
Dear Montgomery ISD Community,
I have some exciting news to share. In a unanimous vote during the November school board meeting, Montgomery ISD trustees named Dr. Mark Ruffin as the lone finalist for district superintendent. Dr. Ruffin brings experience as a superintendent, a strong set of core values and dynamic leadership to Montgomery ISD. He is currently the superintendent in Normangee ISD, where he has served since 2018.
Hiring a new superintendent is a task that our board has taken extremely seriously. During this process we held several focus group meetings and issued a survey to collect input on the leadership qualities and experience our community desired in our next superintendent. Parents, teachers, staff, students and community members told us they wanted an experienced educational leader who is a great communicator, excels in connecting with people and building a strong community, cares about the personal and academic success of all students, and shares the core family values held by this community. We are confident we have found that leader in Dr. Ruffin and we cannot wait to welcome and introduce him to Montgomery.
During Dr. Ruffin’s interviews, he demonstrated an authentic enthusiasm and excitement about the opportunity to lead our school district to greater heights. He is focused on building an environment where all students succeed. As our school district continues to grow, Dr. Ruffin is the right leader to ensure we maintain our “small town feel” and preserve what makes Montgomery ISD so special.
In addition to serving as superintendent, Dr. Ruffin will also be a parent in our district. He and his wife Bay have three sons who will attend our schools. The Ruffin family is excited to make Montgomery their new home.
It has been my honor to serve as Board President during the search process. Hiring our next leader is undoubtedly one of the most important decisions a school board makes. Our board was committed to really listening to the qualities our parents, staff, and community members wanted to see in our next leader. We continually reviewed your feedback as we moved through the interview process.
I also want to thank Dr. Amy Busby for serving MISD over the past few months as interim superintendent. Her experience and knowledge of the district ensured Montgomery ISD would continue to serve students and families during this transition. She is a remarkable leader and person, and we are grateful she will continue to serve the district.
In accordance with state law, a 21-day waiting period will now go into effect before the board will vote to offer a contract to Dr. Ruffin to serve as superintendent. Dr. Ruffin will officially begin the role when we return from the Winter Break in January. We know everyone will be excited to welcome Dr. Ruffin and we look forward to providing opportunities to meet him in the near future.
On behalf of the board, thank you for entrusting us with this important responsibility. We are confident that Dr. Ruffin is the right leader to usher in a new chapter for Montgomery ISD, and we can’t wait to get started.
Laurie Turner
President
Montgomery ISD Board of Trustees