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Parents thank district for safety work; trustees approve calendar, Fountain Park agreement, Raptor phones and multiple hires
Summary
Public commenters thanked the district and city for Fountain Park safety improvements at Austin Elementary while another commenter urged trustees to replace the superintendent; the board approved the Fountain Park local agreement, the 202627 calendar, SAFE-grant-funded classroom phones with Raptor panic-button integration, several procurement items, and multiple personnel hires during the consent and action agenda.
Public comment opened with Rosie Silva and other parents thanking district and city staff for progress on the Fountain Park project to improve safety at Austin Elementary and presenting a petition of about 260 signatures.
During a separate public comment slot, Marsha Gonzales urged the board to replace the superintendent, citing multiple administrative and performance concerns including declining enrollment, lower test scores, lawsuits and alleged budget overspending. Those allegations were made during public comment and were not litigated or resolved during the meeting.
On action items, trustees approved a series of consent and action motions by voice/show of hands: the local agreement with the City of Edinburg for Fountain Park was approved; the board approved the 202627 school-year calendar (administration said 75% of employees voted for the selected calendar); the board also approved renewals for districtwide data backup and cybersecurity licenses and authorized purchases tied to E-Rate and internal connections.
Notably, the board approved replacement Cisco classroom phones for every classroom, funded through SAFE grant cycle funds, and said the devices include a dedicated Raptor "lockdown" button that triggers the districts Raptor silent panic-alert system so staff can initiate a campus lockdown quickly. Administration said the phones will be hardwired and will support substitute staff who may lack Raptor app access.
In executive-session follow-up votes, the board approved recommended hires presented by administration including librarian and counselor positions (Stephanie Reese and Jennifer Avila) and a coordinator for personnel/legal issues (Angela Trevino). The board also authorized the superintendents evaluation documentation as discussed in closed session; no termination action was taken.
