District goes on hiring streak in advance of new school

The San Marcos CISD board of trustees made numerous contract and hiring decisions Monday night, including an amendment to the superintendent’s contract.

The board voted unanimously to extend Superintendent Michael Cardona’s contract to June 2022. The board also approved contract renewals for teachers and administrators in the district. Forty-one administrators and 629 non-administrative professional personnel and their contracts were listed in the board’s agenda packet.

The opening of Rodriguez Elementary School next school year made the hiring of more personnel necessary. The board approved four teaching staff positions and numerous support staff positions -- including counselors, bus drivers, an administrative assistant, an assistant principal and cafeteria specialists -- for the campus. The board’s agenda stated that the additional staffing would come with an estimated cost of $935,000.

“We might not like the number, the dollar sign attached to it, but if we need it, we need it,” trustee Lupe Costilla said.

In other business Monday night, the board heard a report on the trustees’ continuing education hours from April 1, 2018, through Monday night’s meeting. All of the trustees were in compliance with continuing education hours except Miguel Arredondo, who was listed as “deficient” in one of the two areas of continuing education. 

The board also heard reports on the amount of travel reimbursement money received by each board member since July 1, 2018. Kathy Hansen received no reimbursements; Anne Halsey received $90, Costilla received $491, John McGlothlin received $704.35, Arredondo received $767.23, Clem Cantu received $990.96, and Margie Villalpando received $1,539.07.