An Austin-area public school district has narrowed its pool of superintendent candidates to just one.
According to reports from Austin-based media outlets, the Manor Independent School District (MISD) named Dr. Robert Sormani as the lone finalist for its highest position on Friday.
Austin ABC affiliate KVUE reported that Sormani emerged from a field of 48 applicants.
“I am honored to be able to return [to] Manor ISD and serve this wonderful community again,” he said, the station reported. “I look forward to increasing the academic achievement to all of our students.”
The MISD school board will hold a special meeting on April 28 to vote him into the office.
According to Austin CBS affiliate KEYE, Sormani is no stranger to MISD since he was the district’s director of curriculum and instruction.
MISD serves the City of Manor, which is about a dozen miles northeast of Austin, in addition to a wide section of northeastern Austin and a small portion of Pflugerville, educating approximately 9,000 students as of the 2020-2021 school year, per The Texas Tribune.
His lengthy career has taken him all over Central Texas, having worked in the neighboring Austin and Round Rock districts, KEYE reported.
His most recent role is the Hutto Independent School District’s (HISD) associate superintendent for instruction and innovation.
KVUE reported that Sormani earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin (UT).
MISD board president Monique Caledon said the body is “elated” with Sormani.
“We are confident in his ability to lead with passion, integrity and knowledge,” Caledon said, KVUE reported. “He is committed and dedicated to include students, staff, parents and community in making Manor ISD the best school district in Texas.”
School districts are required by Texas law to wait three weeks before formally offering a candidate a contract.
Should MISD officially hire Sormani, his first day on the job would be May 1, per KVUE.