From September 18 - October 24 Superintendent Dr. Raúl Peña conducted a Listening Tour. Hutto ISD’s 1,477 employees across all departments had the opportunity to spend an hour sharing their thoughts and feedback on the district's operations, including areas of pride and those needing improvement. Data was collected during 49 one-on-one sessions, 10 group meetings, and via online survey resulting in more than 610 individual data points.

Recurring themes of celebration and concern surfaced. On October 26, Dr. Peña presented his findings organized into an analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT).

View Full SWOT Analysis Report

October 27, 2023

Dear Parents, Staff & Students,

November 1 will mark my second month here with you in Hippo Nation. On that day, students will be enjoying a nice break and recovering from what I hope is an exciting evening among neighbors and friends. On the same day, district staff will be engaging in professional development opportunities.

I believe in keeping you in the loop, and I would like to take a moment to include you in what I have been working on behind the scenes.  

Listening Tour

On September 18, I launched my first Hutto ISD “Listening Tour.” I held a total of 59 in-person meetings to engage in open dialogue. I was able to hear from hundreds of Hutto ISD’s very own employees and gained insight as to what is going well in our district and areas of opportunity. It was important that I provide a space where all voices could be heard. So, in addition to the in-person forums, an online survey was provided to employees. I received more than 200 submissions from staff via this avenue. To keep you abreast, I have identified key takeaways and trends from the shared conversations, feedback, and survey results to guide our work in the district and to provide you with a summary.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats Analysis

The Listening Tour confirmed the apparent perception about Hutto ISD. The district has a strong foundation built on community pride, anchored to innovative leadership, and sustained by its dedication to all students. We foster growth among employees, educators collaborate district-wide for the betterment of our students, and we offer unique programs so that each child is provided a pathway to success. The tour also highlighted the challenges brought about by rapid growth and inconsistencies in training and procedures. By highlighting our strengths and giving attention to our areas of improvement we can ensure a successful trajectory for the future and stand out as a beacon district.

As your superintendent I commit to building upon the strengths of our district while giving attention to areas of opportunity.  

I invite you to view my Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats Analysis to provide a clear perspective on where Hutto ISD stands and what I believe is the path forward.

Hutto ISD is an incredible place. Your students are cared for from the moment they step on a bus or cross the threshold of their school until our fantastic custodial staff turns the lights out at the end of the night. In taking targeted, intentional steps to address priority areas, we will not only tackle immediate concerns but will continue building a solid foundation for the future success of Hutto ISD.

It is my hope you will lock arms with me to address the challenges that lay ahead while embracing and building upon the beauty of Hippo Nation.

Respectfully,

Dr. Raúl Peña, 
Superintendent