The district announced David Hicks died Friday following a medical emergency, only a few months after taking the superintendent role.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Northwest ISD Superintendent David Hicks died Friday following a medical emergency, the district announced.
Not much is known at this point about the circumstances surrounding Hicks’ death beyond what the district said in its announcement on Friday evening.
“Dr. Hicks had made an immediate impact on the staff and students of Northwest ISD, and we will miss him dearly,” the district wrote in a statement.
Hicks had only been in his role at Northwest ISD for a few months prior to his passing, having been approved by the school board to be hired for the position in March of this year.
His career in education spanned more than 30 years, Hicks’ bio on Northwest ISD’s website states. He served in nearly every level of the profession, beginning as a classroom teacher before moving into campus leadership and, eventually, district administration.
Before taking on his role at Northwest ISD, Hicks previously served as Sherman ISD’s superintendent for six years, where he helped increase the district’s fund balance and develop innovative instructional programs such as AP and dual-credit courses.
Sherman ISD also earned several accolades during Hicks’ tenure, including a Pre-K Center of Excellence distinction from the Texas Education Agency. Sherman High School also maintained the top graduation rate in the area under HIcks’ watch.
“Children are the focus of everything we do as educators,” Hicks said when he first took the Northwest ISD superintendent position. “The potential to change the world happens every day inside the walls of our schools, and I am eager to live out Northwest ISD’s core belief that kids come first.”
Prior to his time at Sherman ISD, Hicks was the area superintendent of secondary programs for Denton ISD, where he supervised middle and high school students and oversaw growth-related matters at secondary schools.
Hicks began his educational career as a middle school history teacher in Carrolton-Farmers Branch ISD prior to taking a campus leadership role. Later, he served as a principal or assistant principal for schools in Carrolton-Farmers Branch ISD and Grapevine-Colleyville ISD.
Hicks received his doctorate in educational leadership from the University of North Texas, where he also earned his master’s degree in educational administration.