Weslaco ISD board approves Dorothy Serna for Central Middle, tables Mary Hope principal amid public concerns about hiring

The Weslaco Independent School District Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved Dorothy Serna as principal for Central Middle School and voted to table the superintendent’s recommendation for the Mary Hope Middle School principal post until a subsequent board meeting.

The actions followed an executive session called to discuss “personal matters” tied to superintendent recommendations for both principal positions, conducted under the Texas Open Meetings Act. After returning to open session, the board moved to appoint Serna and to delay action on the Mary Hope recommendation for “housekeeping” reasons.

Why it matters: Principal appointments affect campus leadership, staff morale and student outcomes; the meeting also included public comment alleging irregularities in hiring, a topic board members and the superintendent directly addressed.

Public comment and allegations Jewel Valdez, identified as a resident and public commenter, told the board she was speaking because of “a rumor” about a hiring and said she had come to complain about what she described as repeated, questionable hiring decisions. “We keep seeing, like, the continue perverting of the hiring process and the circumventing of the of vetting qualified candidates,” Valdez said. She also said the district had “lost, like, what is it? two assistant principals” and referenced a “Weaver report,” but did not provide page citations or documentary evidence during her remarks.

Superintendent response and board discussion Superintendent Dr. Rivera told trustees that hiring recommendations result from a committee process. “We review the applicants. They’re recommended. There’s no favoritism. We go there and we and we select,” he said during board discussion. Multiple trustees voiced support for Rivera’s explanation of the process, saying the committee and procedures had been improved and that recommendations aim to select the best fit for campuses.

Board actions After the executive session, the board President announced the committee’s recommendation for Central Middle School: Dorothy Serna. A motion to approve Serna was made by a trustee (recorded in the meeting as Mrs. Taita) and seconded by Trustee Ben Castillo; the board then called for the vote. “All in favor of the recommendation for Central Middle School, please say aye,” the presiding officer said; the meeting record shows the motion carried.

On the Mary Hope Middle School recommendation, Trustee Ben Castillo moved to table the item for housekeeping matters and Trustee Mark De Los Santos seconded. Trustees discussed returning the item to the agenda at the June 23 meeting; the motion to table carried.

Process and next steps Board members emphasized that their role is to consider the superintendent’s recommendations and that the superintendent uses a committee to vet candidates. The board followed the Texas Open Meetings Act procedure by moving into executive session to discuss personnel recommendations and reconvening in open session before voting. The Mary Hope principal recommendation will be brought back at the board’s next scheduled meeting for further consideration.

A note on evidence and claims Valdez referenced a “Weaver report” and alleged multiple questionable hires and staff demoralization; she did not identify specific pages or present documentary proof during public comment. The superintendent and multiple trustees characterized the hiring process as committee-driven and fair. The board did not announce other investigatory steps during the meeting.