Dr. James Wilcox, Longview ISD Superintendent Emeritus

By Joycelyne Fadojutimi

It has been a long time since 1973. That is when Dr. James Wilcox started his career in education. Now, after a half century of enriching young minds and steering them down the straight and narrow to educational success, his own trek along this path is coming to an end, but not quite so.

“I will stay involved in the school business,” he says. “I’ve been doing it for too long.”

His calling started as a classroom teacher, then moved along to other positions as principal, and eventually Longview Independent School District (LISD) superintendent. He prepared for his life’s work by pulling down a BBA in general business administration and an M.Ed. in educational administration from Lamar University. In 1987, he earned his Doctor of Education from Texas A&M.

LISD trustees Dr. Troy Simmons, DDS, and retired U.S. Army, Desert Shield/Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran Ted Beard were among the decision makers who, in April 2007, hired Wilcox away from his then-position in Waxahachie. Simmons was impressed by Wilcox’s unconditional fixation on student success.

“At the time of Dr. Wilcox’s hiring as LISD superintendent it was quite obvious that he was what was needed in order to move our district forward,” he says. “Wilcox was solely interested in student achievement, expansion of programs that would be the most beneficial for our students. He was singularly focused on students’ needs, and not adults’ wants.”

Beard also perceived how Wilcox was ideal for the job.

“As a board member, making “data-based decisions” is paramount in school board service. The data, which included having student achievement and experience in like district demographics, Dr. Wilcox was the best person for the position.”

After eighteen years of incalculable service to Longview ISD students, parents and community, Wilcox can see the time has come to step down. He and wife Jan have four children who have presented them with eighteen grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He has a daughter who is following in his footsteps, having just taken her doctorate degree from Texas A&M at Texarkana. She is currently curriculum director for Texarkana’s Pleasant Grove High School.

“Students success is our focus. And we have done that. That is why we are an “A” rated district according to the state of Texas. We are the largest “A” rated district east of Interstate 45 in the entire state of Texas and we are proud of that, and it shows that our students can do it.”

Dr. James Wilcox

His youngest son is assistant director for palliative care for Christus in Texarkana, another son is in the education field, while his oldest son is corporate vice-president for New Corp Steel. His passion for his family is downright touching.

“The four kids are great, but the grandkids are just perfect. Jan spoils them worse than I do. They love her,” he says. “Jan wants me to retire and be home with her, and we will do that, but like I said, I will still do something in education.”

Simmons was moved to hire Wilcox because of the candidate’s record of success with school districts with a high percentage of disadvantaged students. His ability to innovate was also key.

Beard was impressed by Wilcox’s student-first approach. His first concern was what was best for his students, especially those with limited resources. This made him stand out from all other prospects.

“The district needed someone with a clear vision for students, and that could not be swayed by the politics of the community,” says Simmons.

His long tenure in education has done nothing to alter his steadfast drive toward the objective of student success. Political considerations are cast aside.

“I think that my eighteen years here have been successful because I always put the children first in our decisions no matter the consequences or who it makes mad. I always did what was best for the kids in the district,” he says. “I always tried to do what was best for my own kids, also. I want to say we are lucky, but we are really blessed. We will still live here in the district.”

“We couldn’t have done the things that we accomplished here in Longview without the support of the various board members over the years. I will always miss Sam Satterwhite, he was a great friend and Board member, he loved Longview ISD.”

Dr. James Wilcox

School bonds have always been a major success factor in his service.

“Passing the first bond, set the stage for everything that followed because our facilities were not that good when I got here,” he says. “Passing that first bond allowed us to move forward with the Montessori as well as the International Baccalaureate program.”

Beard and Simmons, furthermore, point to additional accomplishments Wilcox oversaw. The 2008 bond financed the rebuilding of most of the district, created opportunities for students and destroyed barriers by providing International Baccalaureate. Also, the free Montessori gives younger pupils early preparation for a successful future going forward.

“This innovative idea was recognized and earned an award presented by the National School Board Association,” says Beard.

Simmons chimed in by pointing out how, thanks to Wilcox, the LISD is one of the country’s few districts with these priceless assets.

“LISD’s Montessori program is not found in other districts within the state, and there are only a few within the nation.”

Wilcox plays down his great achievement in the bond election and its precious results.

“I have passed bonds before in Waxahachie and two in Hooks.”

Still, there is no denying the impact of these accomplishments. The first bond passage he oversaw provided $267 million and financed seven new elementary school campuses, three new middle school campuses and major upgrades at Longview High School. More importantly, he also supervised a rezoning of the district that shrank the original twenty-eight attendance zones to a much simpler six. This led to a federal court easing off on a forty-year-old desegregation dictate.

“I feel very good about everything we have done here,” Wilcox says. “I feel like the kids are real winners. The students are real winners of everything we have done here for the past eighteen years.”

His early life taught him both the consequences of an inadequate education, and the rewards of a good one.

“We didn’t have a lot growing up. We ate good. They would say we were poor but didn’t know it,” he chuckled. “A couple of people had faith in me and helped me along the way. I wanted to be an advocate for students who didn’t have an advocate.”

In this he succeeded, and Simmons points out a few:

• Implementing dual credit for high school students.
• Securing increased salaries for teachers, staff and support personnel via an incentive pay plan based on students’ performance.
• Bringing increased remuneration to all employees on campuses, showing improvement.
• Expansion of CTE programs into dual-credit courses.
• Construction of a meat-processing lab and an intensification of an AG program.
• An early graduation program that is used by the LISD along with surrounding districts   who have benefitted from it.
• The district-wide International Baccalaureate program that puts the LISD in a place no other Texas district can claim.
• Insuring that the LISD is literally the only Senate Bill 1882 school district in Texas.
• The state’s Teacher Incentive Pay Program is modeled on the LISD’s Wilcox-directed LIFT program.

“You don’t get accolades for everything you do in education; your reward is seeing successful adults that are working tax paying citizens and you helped provide the education that gave them the tools to be successful in life. Looking out and seeing that makes you smile; it makes you feel good. I loved every day that I came up here and still do.”

Dr. James Wilcox

Because of his flawless guidance in achieving the best possible learning and teaching environments for both students and faculty there are teachers and professionals from far and wide who aspire to come to the LISD.

“I think the reason why most teachers want to come here is because we don’t wrap our arms around them and tell them every day we love them,” he says. “Actions speak louder than words. We are the highest-paying district in East Texas, and money isn’t everything. Nonetheless, like Zig Zigler used to say, ‘Money isn’t everything, but it ranks right up there with oxygen.'”

It is impossible to overstate Wilcox’s drive to see to it that both students and teachers benefit from their tenures in the LISD. He has always greatly emphasized the importance of adequately compensating the teachers who execute his campaign for student success.

“We have high expectations for every child, and we talk about that all the time. If a child is not learning, we need to change the way we’re presenting the material to them,” he says. “We can have a great plan, but a great teacher has to implement it for it to be successful for students, and if we can’t keep somebody, and they leave, we don’t want money to be the reason they left.”

Although Wilcox was ecstatic over the LISD earning an “A” rating from the state of Texas, he also eagerly follows athletics.

“I do love football. I love Lobo football. To win the state championship for the first time since 1933 was a big deal,” he says. “But the A rating for every student is the biggest of them all.”

He and his whole family are delighted by his retirement and are looking forward to it. They realize this changing lifestyle after fifty-two years in education will be an adjustment, but they all love Longview. It is their adopted hometown and will be a great place to retire.

“They really don’t know how to take it because as long as any of them have known me, I have been working in education, and it is a lot to be thankful for,” he says. “I can look back and reflect on all the student success stories, all the kids that might not have had a chance, and we gave them a chance.”

Beard went yet further in his praise of Wilcox and his endless, positive impact on east Texas and state.

“His leadership has provided purpose, guidance and direction not only to the school board, but also to the extent where Longview ISD is consistently recognized by the Commissioner of Education and numerous other school districts in Texas for his innovative ideas and leadership,” he says. “He leaves the district financially sound and also an “A” rated district in the state of Texas. That says it all – very innovative with a no-nonsense attitude.”

“I couldn’t have done all this without a supportive wife, you just can’t. It is too time-consuming and stressful and if you don’t have a good spouse then you are in trouble. She is a big part of my success here in Longview, any success we have had is her success also.”

Dr. James Wilcox

Simmons gave a summation of Wilcox’s career and value to east Texas education that is hard to follow.

“The one thing I would want the public to know is [that] Dr. Wilcox is about children and public education, and not just because he’s a superintendent, but because he believes in public education,” he says. “As he leaves the district, we can see [how] the district has come a long way from when he first arrived, but there’s lots of work still to be done, and we must maintain a focus of kids first and adults second if we are to move upward and forward. Dr. Wilcox is a person of commitment to those he serves.”

Just as the A rating is exciting, death deals a blow to his joy. The death of any student brings sadness to Wilcox.  For him, “The saddest day would have to be the day my good friend James Brewer died. We had been friends for 30 years, he said.  “All of those years, I was close to Mr. Brewer. He was one of a kind.”

Wilcox leaves a financially sound school district with A rating but not before he passed his second LISD bond that failed twice.

According to him, the first two times, they had the wrong approach. They were not presenting it in the right way to their parents and constituents in the district. The charm came the third time whey they took the approach of going directly to parents and constituents. For this reason, he met with an astounding success. The bond passed with a landslide victory.

PROP A addresses aging buildings at Longview High and across the district.

PROP B is a new Early Childhood Center and renovations to repurpose the current facility.

PROP C  builds a new multi-purpose facility that serves all sports and a variety of student activities.

PROP D  is for renovations to Lobo Stadium and Judson Middle School Stadium.

PROP E  builds a new Aquatics Center/Natatorium facility.

Longview ISD voters approved all five propositions in the $456.2 million bond election held on May 4.

Proposition A passed with 3,073 votes for and 1,602 votes against.

Proposition B passed with 2,845 votes for and 1,813 votes against.

Proposition C passed with 2,718 votes for and 1,930 votes against.

Proposition D passed with 2,700 votes for and 1,952 votes against.

Proposition E passed with 2,815 votes for and 1,837 votes against.

“I will be around right here in town. I will do everything that I can to help make the new superintendent successful,” he said.  “I will be here to help the district continue to succeed. I will be available, I love it here, love the district, love the students, and I will do any and everything that I can.”

“The saddest day would have to be the day my good friend James Brewer died. We had been friends for 30 years and all of those years, I was close to Mr. Brewer. He was one of a kind.”

Dr. James Wilcox