EPISD board to weigh Superintendent Sayavedra's future at meeting
During a meeting Tuesday, June 3, the board is set to take up three items related to Sayavedra's position, all put forth by board President Leah Hanany and Vice President Dr. Jack Loveridge.
Tuesday's agenda includes discussion and action on a voluntary separation agreement between the superintendent and the school board, as well as the appointment of an interim superintendent.
Tuesday's special meeting to discuss Sayavedra's employment status is set for 4 p.m. at the EPISD Administration Building in Downtown El Paso. The meeting can also be viewed live online via EPISD's YouTube page.
The latest move comes only a week after the board failed to take action on a similar proposal during a meeting where around 20 residents, educators and school administrators turned out to voice support for Sayavedra, who has only been at the helm of EPISD since January 2022.
Hanany and Loveridge have not explained why Sayavedra deserves to be terminated, especially since her annual review is scheduled to take place this month. Neither immediately responded to a request for comment.
Hanany previously stated during last week's meeting that she could not comment on the superintendent search process due to a non-disclosure agreement.
Board trustee Daniel Call, however, has been outspoken in his support for Sayavedra and has harshly criticized Hanany for attempting to oust the superintendent over what he called a "personal vendetta." Call and trustee Valerie Beals have left no question that they will not vote to fire the superintendent.
"On Friday, the latest academic numbers came in and the results are clear: with Superintendent Diana Sayavedra at the helm, El Paso ISD is making amazing gains nearly across the board," Call said in a text message.
Hanany and Loveridge appear to have an ally in Board Secretary Alex Cuellar, meaning that the decision to fire Sayavedra may come to rest on the shoulders of trustees Mindy Sutton and Robert Osterland, who took their seats on the EPISD board after being elected on May 3.
That fact was not lost on Kendall Jessup, who manages the "Let School Bells Ring" Facebook group, a site comprising nearly 2,500 EPISD parents, teachers, and administrators.
"As new trustees, you likely feel pressure to be loyal to those other trustees, with whom you campaigned," Jessup wrote in an open letter to Sutton and Osterland. "But what they're asking of you certainly isn't showing loyalty to you. Quite the opposite. As brand-new trustees, they're making you their political cannon fodder. They want you to fire Superintendent Sayavedra without cause, without transparency, and without the due process you promised your constituents."
The district is facing a $30 million budget shortfall, which has been exacerbated by the board's recent decision to remove Lamar Elementary School from the list of eight schools slated for closure over the next year. Workforce reductions, program cuts and increased classroom sizes could be on the horizon.
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: EPISD school board to consider separation deal with superintendent
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