Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora, Tomball ISD Superintendent Settles Into Her New Role

TOMBALL, TX — Dr. Martha Salazar-Zamora has settled into her new role as superintendent of schools at Tomball ISD, slightly more than 30 days after former Superintendent Huey Kinchen officially retired, and it couldn’t comed at a busier time.

The end of the 2017 school year is looming, and the district is in the early stages of budget preparation as well as planning for the more than probable bond that could spell new campuses within the next five years. (Want to get daily updates about news and other events going on in your area? Sign up for the free Houston Patch morning newsletter.)

For most folks, it’s barely lends enough time to catch your breath, but it’s something that Salazar-Zamora has grown accustomed to over the course of her career, and especially as the now former Tomball ISD chief academic officer.

“Our former superintendent, Mr. Kinchen, had given me great responsibility and allowed me to learn a lot of what we were currently doing in the event of his retirement,” she said.

One of those initiatives was the district’s Strategic Plan, which was spearheaded by Salazar-Zamora and implemented in 2015.

That particular task, and others that came later, helped pave the way Salazar-Zamora to become the new Tomball ISD superintendent, and as she said, gave her that, “global district perspective.”

However, this isn’t Salazar-Zamora’s first go-around as a superintendent.

Before coming to Tomball ISD in 2014, she’d served in leadership positions in Houston ISD, Spring ISD, and Round Rock ISD, and served as superintendent for Kingsville ISD.

As Tomball ISD’s chief academic officer, Salazar-Zamora introduced a number of programs to the district including the Tomball Star Academy — the district’s new early college high school program — and the Principal Partners Program which pairs a parent with a principal with a behind-the scenes look at what school principals each day.

Having this background and being part of the growth in Tomball has helped her understand what the community wants for students in Tomball ISD.

“I want to be a highly visible superintendent,” she said.

For a former educator, it shouldn’t be a problem.

In fact, she plans to be out and about at various district events to support Tomball ISD’s students, as well as popping into classrooms at all the campuses.

“Every district has it’s own culture,” she said. “We know about each other (in Tombal ISD) We are a family.”

Image: Tomball ISD

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