Pine Tree ISD Superintendent’s Contract Extended

LONGVIEW — The Pine Tree School District’s school board has approved a contract extension for superintendent Dr. T.J. Farler. According to Farler, “It’s a three-year contract that is extended by a year after the first year served.” She says this means she will be the Pine Tree school superintendent through August, 2017. Financial terms of the agreement will be discussed at a later time.

According to the Pine Tree School District Web site, Dr. Farler became the district’s superintendent in August, 2011. Hhe and her husband moved to Longview from Murphy, Texas. Farler received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1979 and a Master of Arts in English from Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska. She taught English and journalism at Norfolk Junior High, in Norfolk, Nebraska, for six years before moving to Texas in 1985.

In addition to experience with teaching in San Marcos CISD for nine years and Austin ISD for two years, she earned her Mid-Management/Principal Certification from Southwest Texas State University in 1992. In 1994, she joined the Middle School Division at the Texas Education Agency as a Program Specialist for Middle School Education. After two years with the Texas Education Agency, Dr. Farler became an administrator in Wylie ISD. In 2005, Dr. Farler received her Doctor of Education degree with a major in Educational Administration from Texas A&M University- Commerce.

While in Wylie ISD, Dr. Farler served as the principal of Wylie High School for seven years and was the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction for six years. She was part of the team which distinguished Wylie ISD a Recognized district with nine Exemplary campuses and eight Recognized campuses.

Dr. Farler served as the Wylie ISD instructional leader for the Division of Curriculum and Instruction which included Curriculum, Staff Development, Instruction (Teaching, Learning, and Assessment), Special Services, Special Education, Fine Arts, Health Services, Federal Programs/Grants and Curriculum and Instruction Coaches. She has been instrumental in several important initiatives in the district which include the 1:1 Laptop pilot for Sixth Graders, the Teacher Leader Academy, and the Wylie ISD CLAAS (Creating Leaders and Advocates for our Schools).