Davis resigns as CISD superintendent

By Mollie LaSalle
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Sharon TuleCOLMESNEIL – The board of trustees for Colmesneil ISD met Monday, December 11 for their regular monthly meeting. With only one member absent, the board opened the meeting at 6 p.m., and immediately went into executive session for a level III grievance hearing regarding discipline of a student per Policy FNG (LOCAL).

Upon returning to open session at 6:53 p.m., the board moved on to the consent agenda items. Board operating procedures for 2023-24 were approved, as was the appointing of Kris Lindsey as president, Kelly Eddins, vice president, and Kenneth Adaway, secretary.

Superintendent Dr. Scott Davis tendered his letter of resignation to the school board, effective at midnight, Dec. 31, 2023. Davis addressed the board with the following remarks, “to the Colmesneil ISD board of trustees, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity of serving the students and staff of Colmesneil ISD. Colmesneil ISD represents a true diamond in Tyler County. I will always count the kids and staff as some of the finest with whom I have served in my 30-year career, and I mean that”. He added, “only a special district like this one could have enticed me in the first place. It’s been a true, personal, and professional blessing. I wish only the best for our amazing school district as you move forward in your search for your next leader. I know that you will shoulder the responsibility.”

Board president Kris Lindsey spoke next and added “I reached out to him (Davis), he got a lot done, more than any superintendent I’ve worked with in the last 15 years. He went above and beyond for this community.

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Originally, we had asked him for help at the elementary campus. Our teachers and staff were making the turn around that we so desperately needed for TEA, so with those improvements, we asked him to take on more and more. He made some big decisions, started getting the ball rolling on big projects, we finally got someone in here who would take the initiative and get things done without having to get a bond passed. Dr. Davis went above and beyond from day one”.

Walter McAlpin spoke in the open forum part of the meeting and had the following remarks, “34 years ago, I was the sitting board president at Warren ISD, that was a long time ago. Tonight, you (the board) went into executive session right off the bat and you were forced with making a hard decision. Your decisions are often hard, but you make them in the best interest of the students at Colmesneil schools. As an administrator on the outside looking in, I want to say thank you for everything you have done for us”. The main thing McAlpin was most appreciative for Davis doing was getting the teachers a pay raise across the board.

Also, the money on a flex health spending card is greatly appreciated. McAlpin was visibly moved when relaying a story from three months ago. “I want to say thank you, for what my family has gone through. I was standing in the hall, and some big-shots came by, all ‘dignitaries’, and knocked on the door, and I reached out, and they put a very generous check in my hand. I appreciated that stuff as a retired administrator. I just want to say, thank you, I appreciate it.”

The board went into executive session for a second time to discuss and consider hiring an interim superintendent. Sharon Tule was hired to take over from Dr. Davis upon his resignation. She will officially start January 1, 2024. Tule is a long- time educator herself; she received her bachelors and master’s degrees from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. Tule and her husband, James spent about 10 years there before coming to Texas. She taught for many years at various grade levels before becoming a school administrator. She was superintendent at West Hardin CCISD for many years.