Students in the Edgewood Independent School District on the city's West Side are in a unique situation as kids head back to school this week. The district is now being managed by a state-appointed board of managers and a state-appointed superintendent. After a year of uncertainty some parents believe state intervention is exactly what was needed.
Edgewood ISD Superintendent Sylvester Perez greets rain-soaked parents, staff and students at Winston Elementary School with a smile. It’s his tradition to ride a school bus on the first day of class.
“I’ve been doing this at pretty much every district I’ve been at. It just kind of grounds you a little bit and gets you off to a proper start,” Perez says.
He is serving in the interim. Edgewood hasn’t had a permanent superintendent since Jose Cervantes took a buyout in his contract last year. The board could not agree on his replacement. It was also deadlocked on other issues leaving the district in limbo. In May, the Texas Education Agency dissolved the school board, put in place its own board of managers and hired Perez. Perez says in his time here he hopes to help set the table for the next superintendent.
“We’re going to examine everything from becoming the district of innovation to starting perhaps the planning the process for our very first early college high school. Expand opportunities in dual credit and so some things to address the dropout issue across the country; not just here in Edgewood,” he says.
Agapita Jaramillo went to Edgewood as a child and now has a granddaughter here. She says she welcomes the board of managers as a second chance for the district.
“I’m hoping that they make the right decisions because it was previous board members that could not get along and make the right decisions for our children. I’m also hoping that they make their decisions wisely and that they’re not just puppets on a string,” she says.
Last week the board of managers voted to approve the Texas Association of School Boards to search for a permanent superintendent. Perez says one could be installed as early as December.
Students in the Edgewood Independent School District on the city's West Side are in a unique situation as kids head back to school this week. The district is now being managed by a state-appointed board of managers and a state-appointed superintendent. After a year of uncertainty some parents believe state intervention is exactly what was needed.
Edgewood ISD Superintendent Sylvester Perez greets rain-soaked parents, staff and students at Winston Elementary School with a smile. It’s his tradition to ride a school bus on the first day of class.
“I’ve been doing this at pretty much every district I’ve been at. It just kind of grounds you a little bit and gets you off to a proper start,” Perez says.
He is serving in the interim. Edgewood hasn’t had a permanent superintendent since Jose Cervantes took a buyout in his contract last year. The board could not agree on his replacement. It was also deadlocked on other issues leaving the district in limbo. In May, the Texas Education Agency dissolved the school board, put in place its own board of managers and hired Perez. Perez says in his time here he hopes to help set the table for the next superintendent.
“We’re going to examine everything from becoming the district of innovation to starting perhaps the planning the process for our very first early college high school. Expand opportunities in dual credit and so some things to address the dropout issue across the country; not just here in Edgewood,” he says.
Agapita Jaramillo went to Edgewood as a child and now has a granddaughter here. She says she welcomes the board of managers as a second chance for the district.
“I’m hoping that they make the right decisions because it was previous board members that could not get along and make the right decisions for our children. I’m also hoping that they make their decisions wisely and that they’re not just puppets on a string,” she says.
Last week the board of managers voted to approve the Texas Association of School Boards to search for a permanent superintendent. Perez says one could be installed as early as December.
