Tuesday night, the Copperas Cove ISD Board of Trustees approved the hiring of a new Executive Director of Human Resources.
The board voted 5-0 to approve the promotion of Tracie Phillips to the position from her current position as principal at Williams/Ledger Elementary School in Cove.
“We are very excited to have Mrs. Phillips in this new role within CCISD,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joe Burns said. “Mrs. Phillips’ vast and diverse background in education stood out in the pool of applicants and we’re excited for the energy she will bring to make sure our district is staffed in a manner that will serve our students best.”
Phillips has served in a multitude of roles at various school districts in the central, southeast and southern parts of Texas, as well as in New Mexico and Colorado, including as an assistant superintendent in charge of licensure, evaluation, staff development and assisting campus principals. Phillips was named to that position with Dulce ISD in New Mexico in 2006.
She received her start as a teacher in Coupland ISD in 1988 and her first position as a principal in Caldwell 10 years later.
She’s also held principal positions in Durango, Colorado, Navarro ISD near San Antonio and two school districts in New Mexico.
As a principal, Phillips led campuses at all three levels and spent two years as the Superintendent & Principal of Mesa Vista Consolidated Schools in El Rito, New Mexico.
As CCISD’s new Executive Director of Human Resources, Phillips will be responsible for managing the district’s human resources function, including payroll. She will also lead the planning and implementation of programs to recruit and retain staff, appraise performance, employee benefits and recommending HR management practices.
Phillips holds a bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Houston as well as a Master’s of Education from Tarleton State University. She also holds an administrator certification in Texas.
“I’m excited for this new opportunity as the Executive Director of Human Resources with Copperas Cove ISD,” Phillips said. “I look forward to continuing to serve the students in CCISD through this new role and ensuring they have great staff who are happy in Copperas Cove.”
The board also approved the hiring of Jenny Cresswell as the new principal at Williams/Ledger Elementary School. Most recently, Mrs. Cresswell has been the assistant principal at the campus after a three-year stint as a Reading Academy Cohort Leader and District Literacy Coach. Cresswell has been with CCISD since 2013 and was with the district in a previous stint from 2005-09.
The board also approved the purchase of more than 1,200 student laptops to maintain the replacement cycle and work to ensure the district meets the demands of students. It also approved the payment of Teacher Designation Fees to the Teacher Incentive Allotment Program (TIA), a state program designed to recognize effective teachers on three levels.
Additionally, the board approved the renovation of the Pride of Cove’s instrument transport trailer.
The board will next hold a Special Meeting on Nov. 13th, in order to certify Tuesday’s election results and swear in any new members. That meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the CCISD Board Room.