WACO, Texas (KXXV) — According to a letter written to the Waco ISD Board of Trustees, Dr. Susan Kincannon announced on Thursday that she plans to retire as superintendent, effective September 30.
Her career spans 34 years in public education, including more than a decade serving as a superintendent — she has been the Waco ISD's superintendent since August 2019.
"Dr. Kincannon began her career in public education in 1990 as an elementary teacher at Scott Elementary in Temple ISD — from her first day in the classroom to today, Dr. Kincannon credits her fourth grade teacher with inspiring her focus on students," officials said.
“I know the difference that a teacher can make in a child’s life, because Mrs. Killingsworth, my fourth grade teacher, made that difference in my life,” Dr. Kincannon said.
“She was a phenomenal teacher, but more than anything I remember how she made me feel — she saw my potential, and she made me feel special. That’s why what we do in our public schools matters so much. As educators, we have the opportunity to make that difference for our students — to truly see their potential and to help them know that they are special.”
According to district officials, since coming to Waco ISD, Dr. Kincannon has been credited with creating systems and structures to improve academic achievement, improving teacher retention rates, building leadership capacity, and fostering a supportive learning environment for all students.
"The number of campuses offering comprehensive dual language instruction has grown to nine in just two years of a five-year strategic implementation plan — the number of students dropping out has gone down since 2020 overall, with decreases also seen within specific groups such as special education, emergent bilingual and homeless students. The number of national scholar awards by the College Board has increased exponentially with nearly 50 students on track to be recognized this fall."
The Waco ISD Board of Trustees has called a special meeting for Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. to begin the process of hiring the district’s next superintendent.
“The Board of Trustees is deeply saddened about the news of her retirement, yet are extremely thankful for Dr. Kincannon and her leadership over these last 5 years,” said Waco ISD Board of Trustees President, Stephanie Korteweg.
“Waco ISD is making huge strides in academic achievement, attendance, athletics, fine arts, and just about every program we offer — the Board of Trustees wants to assure the community that this board is focused on continuing to build on her accomplishments and honoring what we have achieved as a district to this point.”
