Goose Creek CISD names Dr. Joe Rodriguez lone finalist for superintendent

The Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name Dr. Joe Rodriguez the lone finalist for superintendent after reconvening from a closed session on a special meeting evening.

Board members introduced agenda item 3C and, after a motion by Mrs. Guy and a second by Mr. Renteria, opened discussion about the candidate. Trustees repeatedly said the search process had been thorough and community-informed: one trustee said the board "took this task very seriously" and that they believed they had "found the right person to be our next leader." Another trustee noted about 90 people participated in focus committees and additional written input was received and reviewed.

The presiding speaker called the vote to name Dr. Joe Rodriguez the lone finalist; the presiding speaker announced, "The vote is unanimous." No individual roll-call votes were read into the public record during the meeting.

Dr. Joe Rodriguez, who was in the audience and then invited to the microphone, thanked the board and the community and framed his approach as service-focused: "I am here to serve the students and the community and just to continue the vision that Doctor O'Brien and the board have started," he said. He described trustees as volunteers and said he looked forward to working with district staff, students and families during what he called a "unique transition" midyear.

Trustees also publicly thanked outgoing Superintendent Dr. O'Brien for his leadership and credited staff members Noemi Garcia and Vicki for supporting the search. The presiding speaker thanked Thompson and Horton and its representative, Doctor Thompson, for their guidance during the process.

The presiding speaker noted the board had recessed into closed session pursuant to Texas Government Code sections 551.071 and 551.074 and stated that no action was taken in closed session. With no further business, the board adjourned at 7:36 p.m.