December 6 , 2007
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Scott Van Beck |
A celebrated former principal and regional superintendent has been selected to lead the Houston area’s largest nonprofit working toward public school improvement, the Houston A+ Challenge Board of Trustees announced Thursday.
Scott Van Beck, a 23-year veteran of Houston ISD, assumes leadership of Houston A+ Challenge at a pivotal time, as the organization is developing a new academy to train and certify a new pool of talented principals to lead schools throughout the region. Initial planning for the Academy has been funded by the Houston Endowment.
“Scott comes to Houston A+ with a track record of success as an innovative and insightful education leader,” said Joe Foster, Chairman of the Houston A+ Challenge Board of Trustees. “We are delighted to have him on board, and we look forward to his leadership as we continue our work to develop more outstanding principals and teacher leaders to benefit students in the Houston region.”
December 21 will be Van Beck’s last day as Superintendent of Houston ISD’s West Region, one of five regional sub-districts. In that position since 2005, he has been directly responsible for 60 elementary and secondary schools, 3,200 teachers and 54,000 students. As top executive, he also led the implementation of professional learning communities in all schools in the West Region.
“Scott’s leadership and enthusiasm has helped to steadily improve student test scores and decrease the achievement gap in the West Region,” said Houston ISD Superintendent Dr. Abelardo Saavedra. “I am confident that he will continue this hard work with Houston A+ Challenge, to the benefit of the entire Houston region. I look forward to our continued partnership.”
Van Beck has been an active participant in Houston A+ Challenge’s school improvement initiatives since 1999, when as principal of Revere Middle School the campus was awarded an original Annenberg Lamplighter Grant recognizing promising practices. From 2000 to 2004, he served as a coach and mentor for area principals through Houston A+ Challenge’s New Visions in Leadership Academy, a voluntary, two-year professional development program.
“I am extremely honored and excited to serve Houston A+ as its Executive Director,” Van Beck said. “For years, A+ has served the city of Houston as a leader in school reform and improvement. I am equally honored to have served the Houston Independent School District for the past 23 years. Working together, Houston A+ and its partner districts can continue to make a difference in the lives of Houston's children, and I am committed to playing a role in making that difference."
As the founding principal of Westside High School from 1999 to 2005, Van Beck oversaw a burgeoning school population that grew rapidly from 1,500 to 2,700 students. The school was rated as TEA Recognized in 2001-02 and ranked by the College Board as one of the top 20 Advanced Placement programs in 2003-04.
Van Beck joins Houston A+ Challenge effective December 27 as an “executive on loan” from the Region 4 Education Service Center, a professional development training center established by the state.
“Region 4 is excited to help bring a talented, visionary individual into this position at Houston A+ Challenge,” said Dr. Bill McKinney, Executive Director for Region 4. “We have high hopes for this partnership, and the impact it will have on improving principal leadership and student success throughout the region.”
Van Beck takes the helm of Houston A+ Challenge after former Executive Director Michele Pola left the organization in August to become Chief of Staff for Superintendent Saavedra.
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