At a towering 6 ’ 6 ,” Waldrip played basketball for a year after high school at Angelo State University . He went on to earn his bachelor ’ s degree from Texas Tech University , where he studied physical education and biology .
After graduation , he took his first teaching and coaching job in in the south Texas community of Victoria , before moving on to Goliad and then west to Seminole . In all , he spent 16 years as a biology teacher and basketball coach .
“ I always liked trying to create a situation in the classroom where kids could involve themselves in the learning and they could be inquisitive and ask questions and learn some things for themselves ,” he said .
He went on to serve as assistant principal at Seminole High School and earned his master ’ s degree from Sul Ross State University in 2000 . In 2002 , a one-time rival on the basketball court – former Centennial High School and Clark Middle School Principal Randy Spain – recruited Waldrip to Frisco ISD , where he served first as principal at Clark Middle School and then as the District ’ s first-ever director of secondary instruction . Waldrip opened Liberty High School as principal in 2006 , something he says was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of his career .
“ Just being able to put a complete staff together , open a high school brand new and set the vision and course for what the school was going to be like ,” he said . “ I always said I wanted Liberty to be a place where kids enjoyed coming to school and teachers enjoyed coming to work and that ’ s what we tried to focus on to create that type of environment for everyone .”
Waldrip earned his doctor of education from The University of North Texas in 2008 and got the opportunity in 2010 to move to central administration , where he oversaw data systems , program evaluation and various Frisco ISD departments .
“ I have always believed that you can ’ t make informed decisions unless you have some things to inform your decisions ,” Waldrip said . “ Data doesn ’ t necessarily give you all the answers , but it certainly helps narrow the areas where you need to look to find those answers .”
In 2014 , Waldrip accepted the position of superintendent of schools in nearby Coppell ISD . He says the experience prepared him for the job in FISD , which now has more than 56,000 students and is still growing . The District is poised to soon become the third largest school district in
the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex .
“ I think being the leader of any school district , you see the importance of engaging the community in what you ’ re doing and telling your story ,” he said . “ It ’ s important to solicit the community ’ s input because it is their school district and you want to provide the kind of education that they want for their kids .”
Frisco ISD is home for Waldrip and his wife Lisa , who have two sons who graduated from Frisco ISD schools . He says he ’ s inspired by the District ’ s mission statement to know every student by name and need and believes families flocking to the area are too .
“ I think they think , ‘ Well that ’ s a place that I would like for my kids to go to school , if those people are really focused
Dr . Waldrip poses with the 2006- 07 Liberty High School Academic Decathlon team . In its first year of existence , the team won regionals and went on to place second overall at state in the small schools division .
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