Frenship’s loss is Tahoka’s gain.

Steve Burleson, the assistant superintendent of Frenship Independent School District, was named the lone finalist for the superintendent position at Tahoka Independent School District in the Jan. 14 meeting of the school board there.

State law requires the district to wait 21 days before voting to hire a new superintendent. Interim Superintendent Gary Harrell said the school board will meet at 6 p.m. on Feb. 10 to vote on whether to hire Burleson.

Harrell said 34 people applied to be superintendent of Tahoka ISD, a class 1A school system with approximately 600 students.

The interim superintendent lives in Lubbock, and is retired from his position as the superintendent of Jayton schools. He said since his retirement, he has filled in as an interim superintendent at five schools.

In some of his positions, the districts have asked him to conduct the superintendent search, while others have hired a company to help find a new chief, as Frenship ISD did last year when conducting its own superintendent search.

“This one, I did facilitate the superintendent search,” Harrell said.

Harrell said he knew Burleson as the superintendent at Spur while he was superintendent at Jayton.

“I think he’ll do an excellent job. I think Tahoka is very, very fortunate to get him,” said Harrell.

Burleson said it was a hard decision to leave Frenship, but he has family in Tahoka, including three grandsons and a daughter who is a staff member at Tahoka High School.

“We decided to be there and work with them,” he said. “We love Frenship, and it was a great opportunity when we came here, and we always will love what they’ve done for Shirley and I.”

Burleson said it has been a privilege to be a part of Frenship, and he has learned and grown as an administrator.

His wife, Shirley, will continue to teach dyslexia reading at North Ridge Elementary School, Burleson said.

But the couple will be selling their home in Frenship and moving to Tahoka, located about 30 minutes south of Lubbock on U.S. 87.

Burleson said he still has some projects he must help Frenship Superintendent David Vroonland with, such as the budget, but said he will soon be going back and forth to Tahoka as early as February to begin helping that district with its budget.

“Around the first of April probably is when I’ll start,” he said.

Funding issues are something most schools have in common in Texas these days, Burleson said.

While Frenship is concerned about how to fund growth in its district, Burleson said Tahoka is concerned about declining enrollment.

“Whether you’re large or small or fast-growth or declining enrollment, it (target revenue) affects everybody the same way,” he said.

Burleson has been serving as the Frenship assistant superintendent since spring of 2005. During his time at the Frenship schools, he played a role in opening three new Frenship campuses, including Terra Vista Middle School in 2007, Willow Bend Elementary School in 2007 and Oak Ridge Elementary School in 2009.

Burleson was instrumental in opening the Willow Bend Health Center, which provides some health care services to Frenship families.

Burleson was also highly involved in the growth of the regular education dyslexia program at Frenship.

“I want to congratulate Steve on this new opportunity for him and his family,” said Vroonland in a statement from FISD. “I have enjoyed having Steve as a colleague during our time together. He has been a major asset to Frenship, especially to me during my transition period into the district. I wish him nothing but the best as he continues forward.”

Frenship will begin a search for Burleson’s replacement following the Feb. 10 vote on Burleson’s hiring.