Lynn Torres
Lufkin ISD Superintendent
It was 43 years ago when I took my first steps onto the campus of Lufkin High School to become a Spanish teacher. Little did I know then, that one day I would become the superintendent of schools for Lufkin ISD.
I was grateful to start my teaching journey at Lufkin High School where I was hired to replace a teacher who was pregnant and “starting to show.” Back then you were sent home way before the baby was due so that no one would know you were leaving to have a baby. Therefore, I entered the classroom as a 21-year-old teacher and excited to have a job beyond a graduate assistant salary.
I taught there happily for 20 years. I then took on several leadership positions as the activities director, prom sponsor, Student Council sponsor, curriculum principal, and finally as the associate principal at the high school. I moved to administration in July of 2006 as the assistant superintendent, and in 2015, I became the deputy superintendent.
My journey has taken me through a wide range of experiences throughout my career. Those memorable experiences, and lessons learned, will help shape how Lufkin ISD moves into the future. Some of my favorite memories include planning and facilitating student travel around the world. You know you can accomplish anything if you can take 140 people at a time to Italy and back!
Lufkin High School has sponsored trips far and wide, from Moscow, Egypt, Turkey, Paris, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Greece, to London and beyond. All once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for our students to see the culture and art that they are learning about in school in an up-close and personal way.
What I love most about Lufkin is that we offer students a variety of choices to ensure that they are successful. From our CTE courses to our fine arts classes, from our new Early College High School program to our advanced courses, students can choose which path is best for them.
We also offer opportunities for our staff like professional development and our Leadership Academy. I know Lufkin ISD has given me opportunities for growth, and I dedicate my time and effort to make sure that we continue to grow and challenge our students.
Lufkin ISD has always supported our students and staff. Throughout my years with the district, I have met amazing people along the way. I have enjoyed seeing the improvements the district has made, having a hand in those improvements, and, most of all, the joy on the faces of students who are learning.
Lufkin ISD is a unique place to work and grow. We always talk about the LP Way and what that means to our staff and students, but this year LP will stand for our theme: Limitless Possibilities. That’s what Lufkin offers. Limitless Possibilities. We would love to share what those Limitless Possibilities could mean for your student.
This is going to be a great year because at Lufkin ISD, there are “Limitless Possibilities”!
Lynn Torres is the superintendent of Lufkin ISD. Her email address is ltorres@lufkinisd.org. This column was originally published in The Lufkin News.