Winona ISD holds second-round superintendent interviews; board takes no action on lone finalist

The Winona ISD Board of Trustees met in a special-called session April 24, 2025, at the Winona Administration Building. Board Vice President Mark Wintters called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. to conduct superintendent candidate interviews, including a second‑round interview with Mr. Applewhite, under the authority of Texas Education Code 551.074 for personnel matters.

After the closed executive session, the board reconvened in open session at 8:26 p.m. The minutes record that there was "No Action Taken" on the agenda item listed as "Possible Action on Naming Lone Finalist." The interviews ended at 8:28 p.m.; the minutes say Aaron Wilson made a motion "to carry," Scott Jones seconded, and the board voted unanimously. The minutes do not specify additional detail about the intended procedural effect of the phrase "to carry." The transcript/minutes also show that the minutes were approved May 19, 2025.

Board members listed as present in the minutes were Connie Gibbs, Diane Newman, William Allen, Scott Jones, Aaron Wilson and Mark Wintters; Randy Hawkins was recorded as absent. Others noted as present were Interim Superintendent Mike Morrison, Administrative Assistant Stephanie Woods and Wes Hickey of 'Supt Firm 1.' The record shows Scott Jones led the prayer and the pledges were recited; there were no public comments on agenda items.

By law, Texas Education Code 551.074 permits school boards to meet in closed session to discuss personnel matters such as candidate interviews; the minutes and transcript do not record the content of the interviews. The board's public record for this meeting therefore documents the timing, attendees and the procedural outcome — that no lone finalist was named at the April 24 meeting — without disclosing personnel deliberations held in executive session.