ECISD Board Rejects Hiring New ‘Chief Academic Officer’ Position, Approves Review of Super’s Contract

Arnoldo Mata

EDINBURG TX — The Edinburg CISD Board of Trustees rejected Supt. Mario Salinas’ request to hire someone to serve as Chief Academic Officer, a new position not currently in the district’s budget. The action took place during Monday night’s Board Meeting.

The item was discussed in closed session. Upon exiting the executive session, the Board took up personnel matters in open session. When the item was brought up, Salinas recommended hiring Jose Garza for the position. After a long pause, there was a motion made to approve the item; however, no trustee offered a second to the motion.

Trustee Xavier Salinas then spoke. “Mr. President. I don’t feel we need this position. We have capable curriculum executives already. We don’t need another salaried (staff) to oversee them. The superintendent can do that himself.”

Benjamin Castillo, the district’s legal counsel, then advised that the motion would die if there was no second. There was none and the Board moved on to other items.

At the previous board meeting, it has been announced that the district was implementing a hiring freeze pending finalization of the state’s school budget. Salinas did not explain the need for the position during the public section of the meeting.

The board also moved to authorize the board president and the legal counsel to review the superintendent’s evaluation and contract. Salinas’ contract had been renewed during the March 11^th board meeting. However, no details of the new contract were provided during that meeting. The item was presumably discussed during the closed door session.

There was no explanation provided why the Superintendent was being reviewed so soon after the contract extension. However, several incidents, including a gun and ammunition found at Edinburg North High School and flooding at Canterbury Elementary, resulted in public criticism of the superintendent and administration’s responses to the incidents from both board members and the public during recent meetings.

In other personnel matters, the board took the following actions:

• Monte Cristo Elementary – Eva Ramos was approved for employment as the campus librarian.
• Monte Cristo Elementary – Margaret Watson was approved for employment as the academic counselor.
• Escandon Elementary – Tracy Sanchez was appointed academic counselor.
• Johnny G. Economedes High School – Christy De la Garza was approved as academic counselor.
• Edinburg North High School – Viviana Rendon was appointed as academic counselor.
• Austin Campus – The item related to the employment of a curriculum assistant was pulled from the agenda and no action was taken.
• Barrientes Middle School – Erica Rodriguez was approved as curriculum assistant.
• Edinburg High School – Sergio Martinez was appointed assistant principal.
• Special Education Department – Marissa Chestnut was approved for appointment as a diagnostician.
• Special Education Department – Berenice Rosales and Ashley Shaw were both approved as speech-language pathologists.
• Transportation Department – Daniel Treviño was approved as director of transportation.