He’s held nearly every educational position available over the last 23 years, from World Geography teacher and Physical Education coach to Technology Director and high school principal. And on March 24, Dr. Lance Hindt joined Allen ISD as the new Superintendent of Schools.
“I'm happy to be here. I really am,” Hindt said. “I'm blessed to be here and have this opportunity, and be in a great school district around a lot of great people.”
Hindt comes to Allen following a three-year term as superintendent of Stafford ISD in Stafford, Texas. Before that, he served as assistant superintendent of schools for Fort Bend ISD in Sugar Land. He said the similarities between Allen and his old district, like Allen High School’s College and Career Center, drew him to the position.
“Allen ISD is a great school district, it’s a progressive school district,” Hindt said. “When I looked into the programs at the high school, at the elementary schools, I found a lot of similarities in some of the things I was doing in my previous district.”
For the closing months of the school year, Hindt said he plans on getting to know the district by visiting school campuses and speaking with students and staff.
“I'm just going to get out, and my goal is to make sure I am able to visit every single campus not just once, but quite often,” Hindt said. “If you talk to folks from my previous district I came from, I do my very best not to spend too much time in central administration, but really [spend time] getting out to where all the work takes place, and that’s in our buildings and in our campuses.”
Hindt’s wife, Kathryn, is a sixth grade math teacher, still working in Houston until the school year ends, when she and their 10th grade daughter Alex will join Hindt in Allen. He said he’s learned a hands-off teaching philosophy from her classroom insight.
“My philosophy is, as a superintendent, that you provide the teachers and the staff with resources, within our means, give them direction, and then get out of their way and let them do what they do best,” Hindt said. “I know that’s where the rubber meets the road, is in the class room.”
A self-proclaimed supporter of extracurricular activities, Hindt played football and ran track in high school. However, he said he still believes in academics over athletics.
“I do believe that student athletes are called student athletes for a reason,” Hindt said. “Students first, athletes second. But I’ll be the guy sitting in the front row with my face painted at any athletic event with the kids to cheer on our Allen Eagles.”
And as a former teacher, Hindt said the only drawback to his job is that he does not have the opportunity to spend time more with students, another reason why he plans to spend time visiting every campus in the district.
“All of my memories of teaching were being around great kids,” Hindt said. “I don’t believe there’s one kid that somebody would classify as a ‘bad kid’. I think they’re all good and it’s our job as educators to find the potential in every child.”
Although still in the first few weeks of the position, Hindt said he doesn’t plan on making changes to the district any time soon.
“By all appearances, we’ve got great things happening here in Allen,” Hindt said. “Great programs, good teaching and learning, the extracurriculars and sports are all in great shape. I'm just looking forward to getting to know the district.”