This story has been updated.
The North East Independent School District will open applications for the District 2 trustee position held by Terri Williams, who died earlier this month after a long illness.
Board members approved the process during a special meeting Monday evening and will begin accepting applications Tuesday afternoon. Whoever is seated will serve until the next board election in 2024, , when they can choose to run for reelection.
The application for the NEISD position will be posted on the district website and stay open until Aug. 28, when another meeting will be held to discuss next steps.
Deirdre H. Patillo remembered Williams, who was first elected in 2018, during public comment and asked the board to take “great deliberation” when filling her seat.
“Terri Williams was my friend, my director at UTSA and my board trustee,” she said. “And I wanted to be here when I saw on the agenda that there was some discussion of the possibility of filling her seat.”
Patillo said Williams was conscientious of the needs of the families and educators in her district, particularly regarding learning gaps and supporting teachers.
Board President Shannon Grona echoed that in a statement on Aug. 7. During the meeting Monday, Grona said the last three vacancies on the board had been filled by appointment following a multi-week interview process.
Board members also discussed the possibility of holding a special election and appointing the runner-up from the May 2022 election, but decided against both options.
Other board changes in area
NEISD’s search for Williams’ replacement is one of several recent personnel changes to local school boards.
Last week, the Judson Independent School District appointed Judson graduate and retired teacher Stephanie Faulkner to fill the seat vacated by Vice President Shatonya King when she moved out of District 2.
The South San Antonio Independent School District board appointed Joe Araiza last month to the District 7 seat after the resignation of Trustee Stacey Alderete due to an illness.
Araiza said he was excited about the career and technical programs in the district after being appointed.
“I’d like to see how those can be built upon and improved to provide more opportunities to those who don’t take the traditional college route,” he said. “I believe that it will help bring students back that we have lost to the increase in charter schools in the area.”
He currently works in the home health/hospice industry, working with veterans needing prosthetics, according to a district press release.
This story has been updated to correct that the new District 2 trustee will not serve the remainder of Terri Williams’ term and the position will be up for election in 2024.
