Lufkin ISD Administration

Dr. James Hockenberry

Superintendent
jhockenberry@lufkinisd.org

Dr. James Hockenberry
Lufkin ISD Superintendent

Dr. James Hockenberry has extensive knowledge of public education with 29 years of experience in the industry.

From January 2020 to May 2024, Hockenberry served as the Longview ISD Assistant Superintendent for District Services. He previously spent 14 years as a superintendent in two districts, Center and Chireno. Before that, he was a principal, assistant principal and science teacher.

Hockenberry has earned three degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University: a Bachelor of Science in 1991, Master of Education in 1999 and Doctorate of Education in 2010.

His work as a mentor and presenter has been well-received at the local, state and national levels. Advocating for high expectations and equality for the underrepresented minority, Hockenberry believes that all students can learn at high levels. He spends a large part of his time consensus-building with stakeholders to embrace transformational leadership and build capacity in human capital.

He and his wife of 26 years, Mary, have two children, Haley, 25, and Grant, 21.

Dr. Daniel Spikes

Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services
dspikes@lufkinisd.org

Daniel Spikes
Lufkin ISD Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services

Dr. Spikes was born and raised in Lufkin, Texas, where his parents Pastor Willie Spikes, Sr. and Charlotte Spikes reside. After graduating from Lufkin High School in 1996, he attended The University of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin) and earned a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English. He returned to Lufkin, Texas and taught 7th grade English/Language Arts at Lufkin Middle School and served as an assistant principal at Lufkin High School after earning his Masters of Educational Leadership at Stephen F. Austin State University.

After seven years at LISD, he decided to return to UT-Austin to pursue his doctorate. While pursuing his degree, he served as a Graduate Assistant in various departments throughout the university and later worked full time as the Assistant Director for Pre-College Academic Readiness Programs, and as the District Site Coordinator for the federally funded Principalship Program at UT-Austin. He graduated from UT-Austin in August of 2014, with a Ph.D. in Educational Administration, focusing on Educational Policy and Planning.

After graduation, he served as a tenure-track faculty member in the Department of Educational Leadership, Organizations and Policy at Iowa State University (ISU) for four years. In this role, he helped prepare future P-12 principals, superintendents, university education faculty and P-12 educational policy makers. His research interests focused on racial disparities in educational outcomes and the policies and practices of school districts, schools, and school leaders that serve to perpetuate and/or ameliorate these disparities. He also focused on the professional development of adult learners on critical consciousness and how this development contributes to the improvement of educational experiences and outcomes for all students. After his four years at ISU, he was extended an opportunity to serve in the same capacity at the University of South Carolina (UofSC) where he taught before moving to Lufkin.

Dr. Spikes is the proud husband of Garisa Spikes and the proud father of three beautiful daughters: Madeline, a graduate from Iowa State University, Hannah, a student at the University of Texas; and Gabriella, a student at Lufkin Middle School.

Shelly Slaton

Assistant Superintendent of Education Services and Accountability
sslaton@lufkinisd.org

Shelly Slaton
Assistant Superintendent of Education Services and Accountability

Mrs. Slaton is a homegrown educator with 29 years experience in education. She began her career as an elementary teacher and then taught at the middle school level focusing on developing literacy skills with struggling readers. She served as a high school counselor for five years before coming to Lufkin ISD in 2004. Mrs. Slaton worked as the senior counselor at Lufkin High School in 2004. She then served on the Lufkin High School Administration team as an Assistant Principal for ten years and as the Associate Principal for the last five years. She received the Region 7 Assistant Principal of the Year Award in 2012. This award is nominated and chosen by peers within each region and nominations are based on outstanding leadership and exemplary performance.

Mrs. Slaton is a Lufkin native and graduated from Lufkin High School in 1992. She attended the University of Texas at Austin, graduating in three years with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and sociology. In 1995, she earned her teaching certificate at Sam Houston State University. She then attended Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) and was awarded a Masters of Counseling and school counselor certification in 1999.  In addition, Mrs. Slaton holds a State of Texas Professional Counselor Supervisory license in which she utilizes to mentor and support the role of the school counselor. She also completed the Educational Leadership Program at SFASU, receiving both her principal certification and her superintendent certification.

Mrs. Slaton was married to the late Brent Slaton for twenty years, and they have one son, Mack Montgomery Slaton, who attends Lufkin High School.

Administration Staff