Saturday, December 7, 2024

Argyle ISD Board approves retirement of long-serving superintendent

Argyle ISD Superintendent Dr. Telena Wright is retiring after serving over 15 years as the leader of the district.

The Argyle ISD School Board approved Dr. Wright’s retirement agreement during a Special Meeting on Monday, May 1. Dr. Wright will complete the 2022-2023 school year and her last official day is June 30, 2023.

Argyle Trustees will recognize Dr. Wright’s career during the Monday, May 15, regular school board meeting. The community is invited to attend the celebration during the meeting to honor Dr. Wright’s distinguished career.

“It is impossible for me to express how much Dr. Wright means to me and the impact that she has made on this district and the field of education,” said Argyle ISD Board President Sam Slaton, who has known Dr. Wright since he was a student at Marcus High School in Flower Mound. “Dr. Wright’s passion to serve this district, her knowledge of the education field, her wisdom, ethics, approachability, and care for the wellbeing of all are just a short list of the numerous qualities that speak to how special Dr. Wright is.

“Her imprint on this district will forever be cemented and we are blessed as a district to have had her as our superintendent, and wish her and her family all of the best,” Slaton said. “It is my hope that we can all celebrate Dr. Wright and her illustrious career throughout the remainder of the school year.”

Dr. Wright has directed a district with one of the highest distinction ratings in the state and the highest in Denton County. Argyle ISD earned an “A” state accountability rating by the Texas Education Agency and district score of 97 in 2022, the highest in the district’s history.

“Students in Argyle are wonderful, talented young people with supportive families encouraging and supporting them and believing in the investment in their educational journey,” Dr. Wright said. “The carefully chosen teachers and staff are dedicated beyond measure to the support and success of each individual student.

“From the first (AHS) graduation in May 2003 through the 21st graduation in 2023, students have been prepared to enter the world beyond high school, whether joining the workforce, military or continuing an educational journey.”

Among the greatest achievements for Argyle ISD has been its statewide success in the University Interscholastic League Lone Star Cup Award. Argyle has won 12 Lone Star Cups (2nd most in the state), including a state-record 10 consecutive titles. Annually, Argyle stands among the most successful schools in the state in academics, fine arts and athletics. That success has carried into Class 5A as Argyle is again among the Lone Star Cup leaders in the state.

Dr. Wright, a native of Ballinger, first joined AISD as the Argyle High School principal in 2000 after serving at Marcus High School in Lewisville ISD. She became the AISD assistant superintendent in 2003, interim superintendent in 2008 and was named superintendent in January of 2009.

She has guided the district through rapid growth since that time. This year, the district celebrated its 5,000th enrolled student and there are currently more than 700 employees. By comparison, when she started the role of superintendent, Argyle ISD had 1,700 students and less than 200 employees.

CTG Staff
CTG Staff
The Cross Timbers Gazette News Department

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