San Antonio Impartial College District Superintendent Jaime Aquino is stepping down subsequent yr, and the search is already on for his substitute.
The district desires neighborhood members to share what they’d prefer to see in a brand new chief throughout a neighborhood city corridor on Monday, April 27 on the district’s headquarters, 514 W. Quincy St.
By gathering suggestions this manner, district officers stated SAISD’s route can “mirror the priorities of these it serves.” The SAISD city corridor may also be live-streamed.
Aquino introduced his retirement in March, citing a need to spend extra time along with his household. He’s been SAISD’s high administrator since 2022, after his predecessor Pedro Martinez left the district to steer Chicago Public Faculties.
His exit announcement got here as SAISD faces a slew of ongoing challenges, together with a $46 million price range deficit, declining enrollment and academically struggling faculties which led to the closure of two faculties this yr.
SAISD has 18 campuses which have acquired failing scores three years in a row. One other failing score would open the district as much as state probing, and a fifth would require the Texas Schooling Company to step in by both closing campuses or changing the varsity board and superintendent with a board of managers and a state-appointed superintendent.
Outdoors of closing faculties, SAISD officers are additionally contemplating huge price range cuts to just about all of its departments and applications heading into the subsequent college yr. When the brand new superintendent takes over, they are going to achieve this whereas three SAISD campuses are below the management of an out of doors group that focuses on turning failing campuses round, an unpopular transfer with dad and mom and neighborhood members.
College board members have hiring and contract negotiation energy over the superintendent. Final week, the board employed WorkTogether Expertise Consulting, a recruiting agency that helps training employers discover high executives. Recruiters will probably be current on the city corridor subsequent week.
Board members additionally drafted a “set of commitments” to information the superintendent search. These embody prioritizing scholar outcomes, taking pressing motion in struggling faculties and offering customized help for all college students.
“These are our beginning concepts, however they’re not last,” stated Board President Alicia Sebastian. “We need to hear from dad and mom, lecturers, college students, religion leaders, neighbors — everybody.”
SAISD additionally launched a survey, asking neighborhood members which traits are a very powerful to them, how essential it’s for the superintendent to talk Spanish (hailing from the Dominican Republic, Aquino is a local Spanish speaker), and what route they need the district to go by way of college alternative and scholar outcomes.
The survey closes Wednesday, April 29.
Superintendent functions open Might 4 and shut Might 26, and the lone finalist will probably be named on or earlier than July 1.
