South San Antonio ISD board elects officers, ratifies acting superintendent, approves legal counsel and band uniform purchase

The South San Antonio Independent School District board elected officers and approved several administrative actions Monday night, unanimously voting to make Raymond Tijerina board president, Carla Gomez Sanchez vice president and Daryl Balderrama secretary; formally approving Dr. Saul Hinojosa as acting superintendent and approving several administrative measures including a legal engagement and a budget amendment for high school band uniforms.

The new governance team took these steps at a public meeting held after the Texas Education Agency intervened in the district on Feb. 19; the agency had appointed a board of managers and a new superintendent during that transition. The board and superintendent said their focus is on returning resources to campuses and improving student outcomes.

Board action and officer elections Raymond Tijerina, who presided over the meeting until the officers were elected, addressed the board after his election as president, thanking colleagues for their confidence. The board voted “aye” on each officer election; the meetings’ roll call established a governing quorum prior to voting. Carla Gomez Sanchez was elected vice president, and Daryl Balderrama was elected board secretary.

Acting superintendent appointment The board voted unanimously to approve Dr. Saul Hinojosa as acting superintendent and to authorize an interim employment contract that governs the period prior to a formal naming at the March 19 board meeting. Hinojosa, a longtime South Side educator who served 15 years as superintendent in Somerset ISD, told the board he has been on the job six days and outlined an initial 90-day plan.

“We’re putting money back into our schools,” Dr. Saul Hinojosa said, adding that the district had identified $3,000,000 to return to campuses. He also said the district would prioritize pay for its highest-performing teachers, add instructional coaches to grow teacher capacity, purchase buses and make planned campus painting projects.

Policy suspension and legal counsel The board also voted to temporarily suspend local policies BE(Local) and DC(Local) to allow the board and superintendent time to review meeting dates, times and hiring practices. The suspension was presented as temporary while the board evaluates local policies.

Separately, the board authorized the superintendent to execute an engagement agreement with JCA Law PLLC to serve as general counsel for the district and counsel to the board. Tony Resendiz of JCA Law, who introduced himself to the board as a school-law attorney and longtime South Side resident, told trustees his firm has experience working with districts in transition and offered to support the board on governance and legal compliance matters.

Budget amendment for band uniforms Tony Kingman, the district’s chief financial officer, presented a budget amendment to transfer funds between codes to increase next year’s high school band budget in order to purchase uniforms now; Kingman said lead time for delivery is five to six months and the district wanted to ensure students would have uniforms for next season. The board approved the amendment unanimously.

Public comment and community support Several community members addressed the board during the public-comment portion. Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia welcomed the new board and expressed support for their work: “We should be proud of the South Side,” she said, encouraging trustees to pursue opportunities for students. Tom Cummins, representing the South San Federation of Teachers and Support Personnel (affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers), congratulated the appointees and said the union looks forward to working with the administration on priorities including funding, retention, recruitment and academic improvement. Ernesto Arellano Jr., a district alumnus and past community board member, recounted prior governance and fiscal challenges and described recent local work to improve the district’s financial position and credit rating.

What passed and next steps All items brought to a vote — the officer elections, the acting-superintendent appointment and interim contract, the temporary suspension of BE(Local) and DC(Local), the engagement with JCA Law PLLC and the budget amendment for band uniforms — passed by unanimous voice vote. The board said it will formally name the superintendent and approve a full employment contract at a subsequent meeting (noted on the agenda for March 19). Trustees also said they will review suspended policies and return to the board with recommendations.

The board adjourned following the votes and thanked staff and community members for participating during the district’s transition.