The South San Antonio Independent School District Board of Trustees held its first meeting with new board leadership and a new trustee Wednesday after months of infighting and the resignation of a board member.
The meeting, which took place Wednesday, was uncharacteristically calm, with newly elected board president Manuel Lopez sharing his vision for the panel moving forward, including “restoring South San as the pride of the South Side, the way it used to be.”
Lopez, who just months ago was removed from the board room by police amid a heated debate over closing West Campus High School, welcomed Joe Araiza, who applied to fill the District 7 seat of Stacey Alderete after she resigned, citing health concerns.
“He brings maturity and responsibility and respect to District 7,” Lopez said. “He will make a valuable contribution to the success of South San.”
The district has yet to release any information or a biography of the new trustee, and emails and calls to Araiza were not returned by Friday afternoon. He was appointed during a short special called meeting on July 13, in which Lopez was elected as president, trustee Cyndi Ramirez was elected as vice president and trustee Shirley Ibarra was elected as secretary.
Lopez, who was elected to the board in November, outlined his goals for the district Wednesday, including improving student outcomes and fiscal responsibility. He emphasized the need for transparency and collaboration among the board members, adding that “we need to work together for the betterment of our students.”
Superintendent Henry Yzaguirre provided updates on upcoming events during the meeting, including the Back-to-School Bash and meet-the-teacher nights, before the board discussed the possibility of selling commercial properties in the district and voted on a new health care plan for teachers, among other board business.
The meeting ended without incident, signaling a potential turning point for the troubled district.
The district is in the middle of several investigations by the Texas Education Agency and has a state-appointed monitor following a separate investigation that found the board had acted outside of its authority and failed to collaborate with the superintendent.
That monitor, Abe Saavedra, who recently recommended in a monthly report to the TEA obtained by the San Antonio Report that more severe sanctions be levied, praised the new leadership and trustee and called the meeting a “clean slate.”
He congratulated Araiza as the new board member and commended the board for the recent reorganization, calling it an opportunity for the district to “reboot.” He also emphasized the importance of focusing on what’s best for the students.
The district is facing a $12 million budget deficit and is weeks away from starting school after closing three campuses to save money following years of declining enrollment.
