Edinburg CISD Board Fills Eight Positions at J. Economedes and District Campuses, Considers Land Transactions at June 8 Special Meeting

Edinburg CISD, Board of Trustees, Personnel, Real Property, Dual Credit, South Texas College, Edinburg TX

Arnoldo Mata

Edinburg TX – The Edinburg CISD Board of Trustees held a special called meeting Monday, June 8, 2026, taking action on eight personnel appointments following closed session, advancing two real property transactions, and approving a broad slate of instructional and facilities items.

Personnel Appointments

Following closed session, the board took action on several positions, primarily at J. Economedes High School. The positions considered for approval were:

• Karina Aldape as Head Orchestra Teacher at J. Economedes High School
• Monia Soto as teacher with Head Softball Coach Supplemental Duties at J. Economedes High School
• Arnulfo Amaya as Assistant Band Director at J. Economedes High School
• Sandra Horta as Social Worker at J. Economedes High School
•  Amanda Sanchez as Counselor at Magee Elementary School
•  Anita Gutierrez as Diagnostician with the Special Education Department
•  Reyna Lopez as Administrative Systems Analyst/Programmer with the Personnel Department

The board also acted on the superintendent’s broader recommendations concerning employment, resignations, retirements, non-renewals, and terminations. A summer employment addendum was also discussed during the personnel portion of closed session.

Public Comments

One speaker addressed the board during the public comment period.

Alondra Flores, who identified herself as PTO president at De La Viña Elementary and a first-generation Millionaire Reader, opened by noting it was her one-year anniversary of speaking before the board. She tied her remarks to two agenda items — campus money and campus budgeting — and framed her message around accountability.

Flores began by crediting Dr. Garza for helping the campus avoid an $8,700 expenditure on a playground bridge by using resources already available to the district, redirecting those funds instead toward sensory panels. “This was also my first year serving as PTO president at De La Viña Elementary. During that time, we rebuilt the PTO from the ground up, increased parental involvement, organized our financial records, and successfully became a 501(c) nonprofit organization and tax-exempt organization, creating opportunities that will benefit students for years to come,” she said.

During that process, Flores said she discovered approximately $15,000 sitting in an inactive PTO account from 2020 that was weeks away from being turned over to the state as unclaimed property. “Nobody currently involved with the PTO was responsible for that,” she said. “However, the funds were only weeks away from being turned over to the state as unclaimed property. Thankfully, we were able to recover that money and turn it into the students as it was intended to serve.”

She used the experience to make a broader point about district stewardship. “I don’t believe our district lacks resources. I don’t believe our district lacks good people, and I don’t believe our district lacks opportunities. What we sometimes lack is accountability,” Flores said. “Parents trust this board to be good stewards of district resources, to stay within the budget, to use what we already have wisely, and to make decisions that put students first.”

Flores also addressed the Millionaire Readers Program directly, sharing that she was a participant when the program first launched in 2005, when she was in fifth grade. “My teacher told me, ‘Can we please have Alondra? She’s gonna go on a limo ride.’ They took us to España Restaurant. They had an etiquette class. They had a full dessert table. It was something incredible,” she said. She expressed hope that special recognition experiences could one day return for program participants. She also noted her daughter is now a three-year Millionaire Reader herself. “It really does go down generation to generation,” Flores said. “I really applaud that Millionaire Program, and I hope that it never goes away because it does help the students increase their vocabulary in so many levels.”

Discussion of Board Committees

Board President Xavier Salinas indicated at the start of the meeting that item five, the discussion of board committees, would be pulled from the agenda and brought to the next meeting. “Mario, I want to pull number five. We’ll bring it to the next meeting,” Salinas said before the formal call to order. No discussion of board committees took place at this meeting.

Real Property Transactions

Two significant real property items advanced at the meeting, both involving land out of Lot 13, Block 270, Texas Mexican Railway Subdivision in Edinburg.

The board considered Resolution 2026-12, authorizing the sale of the surface only of approximately 1.46 acres out of that subdivision, and directing the superintendent to receive and open sealed proposals in accordance with Section 272.001(A) of the Texas Local Government Code.

Separately, the board considered approving RFP 26-44 for the purchase of real property at 802 Dawson St., the surface only of approximately 1.99 acres out of the same subdivision.

Security Audit Findings

The board also deliberated in closed session on intruder detection audit findings for three campuses: Edinburg High School, Jefferson Elementary, and Hargill Elementary. No action details were disclosed in open session.

Other Action and Consent Items

• First reading of revisions to board policy DEC local covering compensation, benefits, leaves, and absences
• Dual credit interlocal agreements with South Texas College for Edinburg High School, Edinburg North High School, J. Economedes High School, Robert Vela High School, and Vision Academy for 2026-2027 at $57,000, CCMR and local maintenance funds
• Early College High School dual credit interlocal agreements with South Texas College for Edinburg High School, Edinburg North High School, J. Economedes High School, and Robert Vela High School for 2026-2027 at $513,000, CCMR and local maintenance funds
• Renewal of memorandum of understanding dual partnership between Texas Southmost College and Edinburg CISD for 2025-2026
• Building Connections literacy and mental health skills kits at $85,385.61, Title IV funds
• CTE print and online instructional materials from TEA’s 2017 state adoption for grades 8-12 at $416,370.23, instructional materials allotment
• CTE equipment and supplies for Barrientes Middle School at $86,507.43, career and technology funds
• Final completion of B.L. Garza Middle School and Transportation Shop Roofing Improvements at $1,184,461.81, construction funds
• Air conditioner units first-year contract renewal at $100,000, local maintenance funds
• Insecticides and herbicides at $80,000, local maintenance funds
• Paints and related items at $80,000, local maintenance funds
• Continuing adoption of elementary and secondary textbooks, e-books, and online instructional materials from TEA’s state-adopted list at $48,600, instructional materials allotment
• Secondary textbooks and online materials for new CTE courses at $43,134.80, instructional materials allotment
• Partnership in the Personnel Services Cooperative with Region One ESC for 2026-2027 at $14,363.50, local maintenance funds
• Plan of finance for short-term financing approved
• Minutes approved for the May 20 special called meeting and May 26 regular board meeting

Recognition

The board recognized top Millionaire Word Readers from the Federal Programs Department. The superintendent’s report included a discussion of board committees.