Foster Middle principal Mr. Ryan Carroll has accepted the opportunity to lead Forest Park Middle, Longview ISD officials announced today. The district has hired Mr. Chris Trotter to oversee Foster Middle for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year.
The changes are effective Monday, March 21, with Mr. Carroll working with Mr. Trotter through a transitional period before beginning full-time at Forest Park on March 28.
“I have so thoroughly enjoyed my time at Foster, and all the amazing students, colleagues, and families I have worked with. At the same time, I am looking forward to building new relationships and the new opportunities at Forest Park,” Mr. Carroll said.
Prior to leading the Foster campus in 2018, Mr. Carroll was principal of Daingerfield High School in Daingerfield-Lone Star ISD from 2015-2018, was previously an Assistant Principal at Foster Middle from 2012-15. He was also a student-athlete for the Lobos, graduating from Longview High in 1997. A graduate of Texas Christian University, Carroll also played professional basketball from 2001-08, before beginning his career in education at Tyler ISD in 2009.
New to the district administration is Mr. Trotter, who retired as superintendent from Cleveland ISD in Nov. 2021. While he will be principal for Foster for the remainder of the school year, his position with the administration is Chief Director of Secondary Global Learning and Strategic Engagement.
“Longview ISD’s reputation as an elite public school district, with exceptional students, teachers, and a dynamic community is known throughout the state. I am thrilled to be a part of a district as innovative and distinguished as LISD,” Mr. Trotter said.
Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox said Mr. Trotter brings a wealth of experience and his own accomplishments to the district, and he is “excited to have him on our leadership team.”
A fourth-generation educator, Mr. Trotter has a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and his masters in education from the University of North Texas. His career in education began in 1991 and he has worked in Comal, Carrollton-Farmers Branch, Denison, Hurst-Euless-Bedford, Birdville, and Cleveland ISDs, serving in various roles, including a math teacher, coach, campus principal as well as district superintendent.