By Edmond Ortiz
John Craft, Northside Independent School District’s superintendent, said he will retire this year, capping a 27-year career in public education.
According to a June 2 press release, the Northside ISD board will meet June 9 to discuss a transition plan to find Craft’s successor, who will lead the largest school district in the San Antonio area.
Craft began his career in 1999 teaching biology in the Carroll Independent School District. His campus leadership experiences included serving as a high school assistant principal in Carroll ISD, and a high school principal in the Mansfield Independent School District.
Craft was then appointed superintendent of Hamilton Independent School District in 2010. After that, Craft served as the superintendent of Killeen Independent School District before arriving in the Northside ISD in 2023.
Craft has been overseeing implementation of projects funded by the NISD’s $992 million bond issue, which voters passed in 2022. But district officials have paused $200 million in bond projects until after they have explored efforts to better optimize usage of district schools and other facilities in a time of budgetary constraints.
Craft said he the biggest part of his career has been to help create opportunities for students.
“The development of performance-driven teams, along with intentional planning and deliberate actions with the support and collaboration of so many amazing leaders, has always been with students’ best interests at the core of our collective efforts. I consider myself truly blessed to have served the children within Texas public schools,” Craft said in a statement.
Craft said he will keep serving overarching public interests mainly to help young people.
“Serving the students and the Northside ISD community has been the privilege of a lifetime. I am so grateful for the opportunity, and I will forever remain appreciative to the NISD board for their support and steadfast efforts in navigating the challenges, celebrating the accomplishments, and remaining focused on students’ success,” he added in a statement.
Northside will now be part of a small group of San Antonio-area school districts who are looking for a new permanent superintendent, alongside the San Antonio Independent School District, whose current leader Jaime Aquino plans to retire next January. SAISD officials hope to name a superintendent finalist by July 1.
Judson Independent School District is presently operating under interim Superintendent Robert Jaklich after firing Milton Fields. North East Independent School District recently named its interim superintendent, Anthony Jarrett, the lone finalist for the permanent superintendent position.
