Trish Hanks is currently serving her 9th year as Superintendent of the Friendswood Independent School District.  After teaching 8 years in Texas City ISD, she began her employment at FHS as a special education teacher in 1985.  She later became an Assistant Principal at Westwood, the Director of Special Education and Gifted Instruction, the Director of Personnel and Instruction, the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, and the Deputy Superintendent prior to becoming the Superintendent.  She has been in education for a total of 33 years.
            She serves as Vice President of the State Academic Decathlon Board of Directors, the Region IV Superintendent’s Advisory Group, and was chosen to attend a statewide Superintendent’s Academy at Lamar University as well as several community organizations.

            Trish and her husband Bruce have lived in Friendswood for 27 years.  Their two children attended Friendswood schools.  Her son, Justin, a graduate of Texas A&M is married to Melissa, a kindergarten teacher at Cline and they live in League City.  Her daughter Lauren is employed by Mustang Engineering in the marketing department and lives in Katy.

What has taken place under her leadership: Friendswood ISD has consistently ranked among the highest 1% of school districts in student performance in Texas.  SAT scores have improved from a 1076 average to an 1117 average and the number of Advanced Placement tests have increased over 300% from 226 tests taken to 681 tests taken. All six campuses have earned the Texas Education’s Exemplary rating as well as the district being named Exemplary.  According to the TEA website, FISD is one of only 5 school districts in the state to achieve 10 or more Gold Performance Acknowledgements this year.  The largest bond program in Friendswood history was successfully passed and the district is currently receiving bids for the new junior high school.  FISD has achieved a Superior financial rating every year from TEA and the district returned to functioning with a balanced budget every year since she has been Superintendent.