Dr. Marty Crawford
Position: Superintendent
School: N/A
School District: West Independent School District
City, State: West, Texas
About the Nominee: School superintendents make a positive difference in the lives of students every day. So, what happens when in one moment, the stability of school is destroyed? Ask Marty Crawford, Superintendent of West Independent School District. One night in April, an explosion at the local fertilizer plant in West, Texas made national news and changed the way West would run schools for the foreseeable future. From the moment Dr. Crawford heard of the explosion, he has focused on providing a safe, appropriate, and positive learning environment for his students who were displaced from their school buildings destroyed in the blast. Not only has Dr. Crawford provided appropriate physical facilities for his students, but he has worked doggedly to replace a sense of normalcy to these student's lives that were shattered: many lost their homes, lost loved ones, and all lost that sense of safety and security that is typically found at school. Dr. Crawford has spent countless hours meeting with local, state, and national officials campaigning for aid for his district. All the while, Dr. Crawford would be seen at the students' activities calling his students by name and cheering them on enthusiastically. He refused to let the pressures of the operations of the school interfere with his passion for leading students. Dr. Crawford truly exemplifies excellence, positive influence, and leadership.Learn more about Dr. Crawford in the vignette below:http://youtu.be/qODFF7kCP9s