The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Todd Lintzen was in attendance during Monday's meeting of the Bridge City Independent School District's Board of Trustees. Lintzen was named the lone finalist for the Bridge City ISD superintendent position on Wednesday, Jan. 13. Lintzen can sign a contract with the district following a 21-day waiting period. Photo by Tommy Mann Jr.

Weeks of searching appear to be over as the Bridge City ISD Board of Trustees have announced a final candidate for superintendent.

The Board of Trustees of the Bridge City Independent School District announced Todd Lintzen as its lone finalist for the district's superintendent position following a lengthy meeting on Jan. 13. The Trustees held interviews with the final two candidates it considered for the position on Jan. 12 and Jan. 13, prior to naming Lintzen as the finalist.

According to Jerry McInnis, president of the BCISD Board of Trustees, more than 30 applications were received from potential candidates but Lintzen's experience and accomplishments proved beneficial.

"He clearly stood out with his accomplishments at Blue Ridge Independent School District and he seemed to be a good fit for what we have here at Bridge City ISD," McInnis said. "He has a history of staying at a job for a long time, and that is something we want here. He is very knowledgeable, as we noticed during the interview process, and has tons of experience. We are excited about having Mr. Lintzen here at Bridge City."

Lintzen is currently the superintendent of the Blue Ridge Independent School District, which is located in Collin County and is north of Dallas. The district has three campuses and is in the UIL's 2A classification. Blue Ridge has a population of 822 people, according to the 2010 United States Census.

He said the Bridge City ISD position appealed to him greatly for several reasons.

"I have heard a lot of good things about Bridge City ISD and that interested me," Lintzen said. "Plus, I have family from both Louisiana and Texas, and this brings me closer to home. I have mixed feelings about leaving Blue Ridge ISD, but I'm really looking forward to being here in Bridge City. Everything I have heard about this community and this school district has impressed me. I'm excited to be here."

Lintzen, who has been the superintendent at Blue Ridge ISD since 2008, began his career in education more than 28 years ago with a parish school district in Louisiana.

He started his career as an English teacher, while coaching football and baseball as well. He went into administration in 1996 when he became a principal.

He continued his rise in administration over the years with positions as Middle School Supervisor, Director of Instruction and Assistant Superintendent. He retired from the Louisiana school system before being named Superintendent of Blue Ridge ISD in Texas in 2008.

Lintzen has served as an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern State University, Louisiana Tech University and at Louisiana State University-Shreveport through the years as well.