SAISD

After Firing Search Firm, SAISD Names Interim Superintendent As Finalist

Joey Palacios — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:20:02 +0000

The San Antonio Independent School District Board of Trustees has voted 5-0 to name interim superintendent Sylvester Perez as the lone finalist for the full-time position.

Perez was not initially in the running for the permanent position, but eventually changed his mind. He is the former superintendent of Midland ISD and has been serving in the interim since Robert Duron left in Feb. 2012.

He said his focus will be to ensure students are at the proper reading level:

In Pictures: Edison Students Mobilize Emergency Response For Mass Casualty Drill

Chris Eudaily and Joey Palacios — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:05:08 +0000

Nearly 300 Edison High School students got hands-on experience with triage and search-and-rescue on Monday morning. A simulated school bus "explosion" was part of a four-hour training exercise at the Public Safety Magnet school. The students played the role of first responders.

It's a scenario that no one wants to see happen: An I.E.D. explodes on an SAISD school bus, injuring several dozen students--followed by a second blast a few minutes later.

Rodriguez Elementary Gets Library Makeover

Joey Palacios — Mon, 13 May 2013 21:45:21 +0000

The Cleto Rodriguez Elementary School library is receiving a complete renovation and makeover with the addition of new books.

Volunteers were hard at work piecing together new tables and bookshelves and thanks to The Heart of America Foundation and Capital One 6,000 books are being donated.

"We’ll be painting the walls, we’ve added inspiration quotes, we’ve shelved books, we’re also providing financial literacy in all the classrooms ," Monica Shortino, a community relations manager with Capital One.

SAISD Superintendent Candidate Withdraws from Consideration

Steve Short and Ryan Loyd — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 04:24:19 +0000

Days after the San Antonio Independent School District named a candidate for the district's top job, Dr. Manuel Isquierdo withdrew his name from consideration.

Monday, the SAISD School Board voted to name Isquierdo the "lone finalist" for the position.

SAISD School Board President Ed Garza announced the move Friday afternoon, saying Isquierdo felt the decision was in the best interest of all parties involved.

SAISD Superintendent Finalist Explains Financial Record, DL Suspension

Joey Palacios — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 22:35:00 +0000

The lone finalist for the superintendent position at San Antonio Independent School District is under fire for his previous record, which includes a tax lien, a suspended license and charging money to a district credit card.

Manuel Isquierdo does not come to SAISD with a clean financial record, but he did have explanations for each of his accusations.

TEA Disciplines Six Tutoring Agencies In Fraud Investigation

Joey Palacios — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:08:19 +0000

After a complaint from the San Antonio Independent School District, the Texas Education Agency has suspended or put on probation several tutoring agencies that may have committed fraud.

SAISD filed its complaint in February, claiming several tutoring agencies were falsely submitting names of students they may not have tutored for reimbursement of more than $280,000.

The TEA maintains a list of more than 100 tutoring companies that are entitled to receive school district funds as part of the No Child Left Behind Act and parents choose from that list.

San Antonio ISD Names Finalist For Superintendent Position

Joey Palacios — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:07:00 +0000

San Antonio Independent School District has named Manuel Isquierdo, who is currently the superintendent of Sunnyside Unified School District in Tuscon, Ariz., as the finalist for the superintendent position.

It’s been more than a year, but trustees finally made the decision at a special board meeting on Monday night. Isquierdo was the only one of three candidates called back for a second interview.

Balancing The Needs Of Families In Center City Redevelopment

Eileen Pace — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 21:35:39 +0000

Stakeholders of center city development got together today to talk about balancing the needs of young urban professionals with growing families as the revitalization of downtown moves forward.

About 200 members of the Urban Land Institute heard different perspectives from school officials, business partners and real estate gurus about the development of downtown for family residences.

A focus group of real estate agents revealed that many don’t think of showing downtown homes to their clients with families.

Pilot SAISD Robot Program Allows Chronically Ill Student To Attend Class

Joey Palacios — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 20:00:06 +0000

8-year-old Miranda Garcia is playing a guessing game with her classmates. She’s a normal 3rd grader, except that when schools in session, she’s at home due to a chronic illness.

Like most kids with her kind of condition, she can’t attend school, and has a teacher visit several times a week, but the robot allows her to view into the classroom, see the teacher and interact with her class.

Her classmates see her through a video screen in the vertical robot on wheels and Garcia controls the robot from laptop at home using the Wi-Fi in the school to connect to the device.

Thanks To Stimulus Money, SAISD Schools/Communities Get Health Renovations

Ryan Loyd — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:31:48 +0000

Five schools in the San Antonio ISD are being outfitted with opportunities for the community to exercise and get healthy. The latest project, at Harris Middle School, has a three week deadline.

The outdoor community basketball court at Harris must be finished by March 18, which is the end date for federal stimulus money designated to promote health in neighborhoods.

The total cost of the basketball court project is just over $93,000.