Pasadena ISD Board unanimously approves Dr. Tony Lopez as new superintendent

The Pasadena Independent School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously on March 27 to employ Dr. Tony Lopez as the district's new superintendent and approved her contract following an executive session.

Board President Casey Phelan told trustees the district used the Texas Association of School Boards Executive Search Services process, including staff and community meetings and a survey, to develop a candidate profile. Trustee Nilda Sullivan moved to approve the employment of Dr. Tony Lopez; Trustee Paola Gonzales seconded the motion, which carried on a 6-0 vote with trustees Kenny Fernandez, Crystal Davila, Marshall Kendrick, Nilda Sullivan, Paola Gonzales and Casey Phelan recorded as voting yes.

The hiring followed a brief closed session the board held “pursuant to the Texas Government Code, Chapter 551,” as the board announced on the record. The board later considered and approved the superintendent's contract and related actions; that motion was moved by Trustee Kenny Fernandez, seconded by Trustee Paola Gonzales, and approved unanimously.

President Phelan said the board received 36 applicants through the search process and sought a "solution-driven leader" familiar with legislative challenges facing Texas schools and local needs. Phelan described Dr. Lopez's background in Pasadena ISD: she began as a teacher at Beverly Hills Intermediate, served as assistant principal and later principal at Thompson Intermediate, was named PISD secondary principal of the year, and served as executive director of curriculum and instruction and as associate superintendent of human resources. According to Phelan's remarks, during Dr. Lopez's three years as deputy superintendent of staff and academic achievement, all six district high schools were listed by U.S. News & World Report among its “best high schools” ranking and the district's college-, career- and military-readiness measure increased by 16 percent.

Phelan also said Dr. Lopez has 28 years of experience in education and that trustees considered her work on personalized learning and the district's portrait-of-a-graduate framework when evaluating candidates. The board did not specify a start date for Dr. Lopez in open session.

The board opened the special meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Administration Building boardroom, recessed to closed session, and reconvened in open session at 5:45 p.m. to vote. No public comments were recorded for the meeting.