(December 18, 2008)--At a special called meeting of the Board of Trustees of the West Independent School District on Wednesday, December 17, 2008, Baylor graduate, Dr. Marty Crawford was named as Superintendent of Schools.

Crawford was selected after an extensive four month search process conducted by the firm of Bob Griggs and Associates of Ft. Worth. Trustees in West were presented with the top five selections from this firm. After intense interviews with the Board of Trustees, Crawford was selected as the Lone Finalist for the position in November. He could not be named the Superintendent until the state
mandated 21 day grace period expired on December 16th.

“Dr. Crawford brings to our district the enthusiasm and energy to take our district to the next level” said Board President David Kolar. “And, he brings the knowledge and commitment to insure that we meet those goals.”

The vacancy in West was created this past summer when Dr. Rob Hart
resigned the position to become the superintendent in the Liberty Hill ISD.

Crawford comes to West ISD as the product of a family committed to the
education profession. Born in rural western Texas to Dr. Marvin Crawford and Marilyn Crawford, Crawford followed his parents into the service profession of K- 12 education. Both parents spent their professional careers in education, the father as a school superintendent and the mother as a reading teacher and
reading specialist. During his formative years, Crawford followed his educator parents to outstanding school districts across Texas. Diverse educational experiences in rural Lindale and Carthage ISDs, and cosmopolitan Grand Prairie ISD, along with observations of his parent’s success, propelled Crawford toward a career in educational leadership of Texas students long before his formal training.

Prior to his professional choice of leading learning organizations, Crawford spent four years in Central Texas, attending Baylor University on an athletic scholarship. While at Baylor, Crawford was named to the All-Southwest Conference baseball team multiple times, receiving an All-American nod in 1996, while earning four letters and starting every game for the Bears as a studentathlete from 1993 to 1996. Upon completion of his Bachelor of Science in Education degree at Baylor in 1996, Crawford spent two years as a minor league
baseball player with the Philadelphia Phillies baseball organization, earning all South Atlantic League all-star honors in 1997.

As a result of his success while a collegiate athlete, Crawford was named a Baylor Baseball Legend in 2005, honored as sportswriter Dave Campbell’s All-Time Baylor 2nd Baseman, and enshrined to the Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame in November 2008.

Finally retiring from organized baseball in 1998, Crawford entered the
education profession as a teacher and coach in Oklahoma City Public Schools while beginning his graduate studies at the University of Oklahoma. Since returning to Texas in 1998, Crawford spent one year as an elementary teacher and coach in Highland Park ISD and worked in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD from 1999 through 2003 as a history teacher and head baseball coach, also serving as an assistant football and track coach at Euless Trinity High School.

After finishing his Master of Education degree from the University of
Oklahoma and obtaining Texas principal certification, Crawford moved to the Dallas Independent School District in 2003, where he has served as Hillcrest High School principal since 2005. Crawford earned his Texas superintendent certification in 2004 from Texas A&M University-Commerce and a Doctorate in Educational Administration from Texas A&M University-Commerce in 2006.

Excited at the opportunity of serving the students, staff, and community of West, Crawford brings with him his wife, the former Alanna Strickland and two children, Ashton Alayne, a 7th grader, and Jackson Layne, a 1st grader. The Crawford’s look forward to the prospect of an enduring relationship with a great community while experiencing the exemplary educational opportunities offered within the schools of West.

Crawford will assume the duties of Superintendent of Schools in West when classes resume after Christmas Break, January 5th, 2009.