Lenny Schad, a 25-year veteran of the technology industry who has introduced the latest classroom hardware and software to schools throughout Katy, has been named Chief Information Technology Officer for the Houston Independent School District.

Schad will succeed Arnold Viramontes, who is retiring in January after a distinguished career in Texas public education.  Schad’s job duties in HISD will include overseeing the expenditure of $100 million in classroom technology funds at campuses across the district.  The technology money was included in the $1.89 billion bond proposition approved by 69 percent of HISD voters earlier this month.

“This is a critical time for the future of technology in Houston classrooms, and our students are fortunate to have a proven innovator such as Lenny Schad leading the way,” said HISD Superintendent Terry Grier.

Schad has served as Chief Information Officer in the 64,000-student Katy Independent School District for nine years.  Highlights of his career include managing and leading technology departments for the 1991 Economic Summit of Industrialized Nations, the 1992 Republican National Convention as well as creating and managing technology departments for joint ventures and global organizations.

“HISD is known as a school district that is making great progress toward closing the achievement gap by raising the level of performance for all students,” Schad said.  “I am excited to lead the effort to equip teachers and students with the tools and training they need to build on this progress.”

Through his leadership, Katy ISD is in year four of a mobile learning initiative focusing on Web 2.0 integration, digital citizenship and mobile devices.  For the past four years, fifth graders at 18 elementary schools have been using mobile learning devices in their classes with great success.  For the second year, public Wi-Fi will be available at every K-12 campus in Katy allowing students and teachers to bring their own device.  Schad’s first book, Mobile Learning: It’s Not About the Device, is due to be published next year.

Schad’s professional recognitions include:

• National School Board Association’s “20 to Watch” educators for 2008
• The Consortium of School Networking (CoSN) Volunteer Hall of Fame
• CoSN 2011 National School District Team Award
• CIO Leadership Forum “2011 Next Level Leadership Award”