001We will start with roll call, Dr. Ariel Cruz Vela, Chris Hernandez, present, Israel Villarreal, the third, Rudy Corona, present, Frutoso Gomez, present, Orlando Lopez, Alex Reyna, present, Alfredo Perez, present, Tony Torres, at this time we will have the Pledge of Allegiance, oh, Mr. Gomez, go ahead. Thank you. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We're gonna start off with the student biography. Jocelyn De La Rosa, the daughter of Joseph and Jovana De La Rosa, is 10 years old and a fourth grader at Ed Downs Fine Elementary Academy, where she has attended since kindergarten. During her time as grape up, Jocelyn has been a straight A student and her favorite subject is math. She is a member of the National Elementary Honor Society, the captain of the dance team, orchestra, drama club, and a class ambassador. She has
002competed in the district spelling bee for the past two years and has competed in the battle of the books this year, where her team placed number one in district. She is also a junior member of the Girl Scout Troop 230. Outside of school, Jocelyn continues to pursue her love of dance as a solo and team competitive dancer at Star Dance Academy. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, going to the movies, shopping, and playing outside with her sisters and cousins. Let's help welcome Jocelyn. You're doing the best. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to the Texas, one state,
003under God, one and indivisible. At this time, we will have our invocation. Caleb is a son of Victor and Cynthia Gonzalez. He is 11 years old and fifth grader student at Ed Downs Fine Arts Academy. Caleb's favorite subject is math, and he enjoys basketball, video games, music, drawing, playing chess, and spending time with his friends and family. Caleb is highly involved on his campus. He's an active member of the National Elementary Honor Society, participates in the chess team, and is a member of the orchestra where he plays the violin. He is also part of the campus dance team and has participated in the school drama programs. Recently, Caleb completed in the district's UIL music memory event where he is earned second place among all five grade students in the district. He maintains a A on
004a roll and perfect attendance throughout the elementary. Caleb is an active member of our Lady Queen of the Universe Church where he participates in religious education and church activities. He attends San Benito Music Academy where he plays the piano and drums. That's great. Good evening, members of the school board, superintendent, administrators, teachers, and guests. Please join me in a moment of invocation. Let us take a moment to pause and be thankful for the opportunity to learn, grow, and come together as a community. We give thanks for the teachers, staff, and leaders who work hard every day to help students succeed. We are grateful for their patience, guidance, and dedication. We ask for wisdom for those making decisions tonight that they may choose what is best for all students, help them lead with fairness, understanding, and
005care. We also ask for encouragement for all students that we may try our best, support one another, and never give up on our goals. May our schools continue to be places of kindness, respect, and opportunity for everyone. Thank you. And thank you. Thank both of you. Y'all can have a seat. At this time, can the parents of Jocelyn and Caleb stand to be recognized? Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Ashley, for providing our invocation, our Pledge of Allegiance. Agenda item number two is special recognitions. Mr. Gonzalez. Good evening, everyone. Good evening, Madam Vice President, members of the board, and Superintendent, Mr. Perez. We want to welcome everyone that is here today, parents. Bienvenidos a todos que están aquí hoy. So at this time, we want to go ahead and recognize our favorite part of the meeting,
006and that is recognizing the achievements of our students and staff for this month of April. We have some very special treats coming up, and we thank everyone for being here to celebrate those recognitions. We begin our recognitions with Veterans Memorial Academy, and that is a recognition of the letters about leadership. That is going to be presented by our student, Esmeralda Silva, who is going to provide the actual letter that she wrote, and one, she'll be reciting that letter, and then, after that, she has a special speech as well. So at this time, can you please help me welcome Esmeralda Silva, who is representing Veterans Memorial Academy. Good afternoon. My name is Esmeralda Leal, and I am truly honored to be here today as a second place winner of the 2025 to 2026 Letters About Literature
007Contest, presented by the Texas Center of the Book. I currently attend Veterans Memorial Academy, and I came from Riverside Middle School. I also attended La Encantada Elementary when I was in the second grade to fifth grade. Before moving here to San Benito, I used to go to a school in McAllen, and that experience is a big part of my story and how I learned to adapt to so many different environments at a young age. When I was first introduced to this competition, I honestly didn't feel excited. Ms. Mendez, my English teacher, encourages us to participate in a literature competition every month, and at first, I didn't want to do it. It felt like just another assignment. Writing never really felt easy for me. It felt like something I had to do, not something I wanted
008to do. I used to think my writing wasn't good enough, especially because English has never really been my strongest language. Sometimes I even felt embarrassed trying to express myself, worried that people might judge me for my grammar or my words. But Ms. Mendez never let me stay in that mindset. She kept pushing me to try even when I didn't want to, and eventually, I did. And as I began writing, I realized something else. I wasn't just writing because it was an assignment. I was writing because of the way the world is right now. I wanted to be the voice for those who don't always have one, for children like me who have felt like they need to suffer or stay quiet because it wasn't considered to consider normal to be a different color, to speak
009a different language, or to come from somewhere outside the United States. I wanted to show that those differences are not something to hide, but something to be proud of, that love, understanding, and compassion will always be more powerful than hate. The letter I wrote was to the author of Esperanza Rising, a book I first read back in seventh grade in Ms. Ortado's English class at Riverside Middle School. That was the first time a book had ever stayed with me long after I closed it. Esperanza's story didn't just feel like something I was reading. It felt like something I understood deep in my life. And when I wrote my letter, I realized why. Parts of what I shared in that letter are my own experiences, but honestly, it's also a mix of my mother's story and
010my grandmother's story. It's not just one life, it's generations of sacrifice, strength, and survival woven together. My grandmother came from Mexico with her parents, her siblings, her husband, and eventually my mother, aunts, and uncles. She left behind family, friends, and everything familiar to start all over in the United States. She didn't have an easy path. She worked in restaurants, cleaned homes, and took any jobs she could find just to keep her family going and to give her children a better future. My mother grew up watching that sacrifice every day. She moved to the United States around my age, leaving behind her friends and everything she knew. She had to grow up quickly. Eventually, she made the hard decision to drop out of high school so she could help support the family. Even as a teenager,
011she was already carrying adult responsibilities, helping my grandparents make sure the household stayed afloat. And then there's my dad, who also worked hard alongside them, doing everything he could do to support our family and build stability for us. Together, my parents and grandparents created a foundation that I sometimes don't think I fully understood until I got older. I was raised by my parents and grandparents, and because of that, I grew up very close to my Mexican culture. Spanish was my first language, and as a little girl, I didn't just see hard work. I lived inside of it. I watched every adult around me sacrifice time, rest, and comfort so that my generation could have more opportunities than dated. That example shaped me more than I realized. But when I moved to my current town and
012began attending schools here in San Benito, everything became harder in a different way. School wasn't bilingual anymore. It was fully English speaking, and I struggled to adjust. I had trouble making friends, speaking up in class, and sometimes even just feeling like I belonged. It felt like I was starting all over in a place where I didn't fully understand the language or the social world around me. That's why Esperanza Rising meant so much to me. Esperanza's journey reminded me of the feelings I never knew how to explain out loud, feeling out of place, feeling like everything has changed too quickly, and learning how to rebuild yourself in a new environment. So when I wrote my letter, I decided to combine all of it, my story, my mother's story, and my grandmother's story, into one voice. And
013yes, it might not be one single person's exact experience, but it absolutely reflects something real. It reflects what so many families like mine go through. I also wrote this letter for people who may not fully understand what families like mine go through. A lot of my friends never fully realized how hard it can be an immigrant in a different country until I read my letter. Seeing their reactions made me realize how important it is to share these stories. I wrote this hoping it would have the same effect on others, to open their eyes, to build understanding, and to help people see the struggles that are often invisible. I wrote it for people like me, for students who feel like they don't belong, for kids who are still learning English, for children of immigrants who sometimes
014feel caught between two worlds. I wanted them to know there is nothing to be ashamed of. Our stories matter, our voices matter, and even our struggles can become strength. That's what I learned during this process. I wasn't just writing a letter to an author. I was writing for myself, for my family, for my community, and for anyone who has ever felt unseen. Now, this is my letter. Dear Ms. Munoz Ryan, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for writing Esperanza Rising. This book really stuck out to me in a way few stories ever did, and I will forever be deeply grateful for the journey you shared through Esperanza's eyes. Similar to Esperanza, I too come from an immigrant family, and I have experienced the challenges, fears, and hopes that come from starting
015from scratch in a country where everything felt unfamiliar. The food, language, and customs. Growing up in Mexico, I was a very stubborn little girl, a little wild even, just like Esperanza was in the beginning of her journey. So yes, it was very difficult for me to fit in at school. I always found myself feeling self-conscious about my accent and the lunches I brought from home. Kids would pick on me constantly because of those reasons, so I would always end up alone during group projects, at recess, or in the lunch room. I often felt like an outsider, caught in two different worlds. The traditions and expectations of my family and the unfamiliar environment around me. One of the biggest challenges for me was having to work in my family's restaurant at a young age. As the
016oldest of five kids, a lot of responsibilities fell on my shoulders, while other kids played after school or went out during the weekend. I was washing dishes, waiting tables, or studying until my head went square. Living with my mom's parents meant our house was always full and I often helped take care of my younger siblings as well. I resented it at first, feeling like I was missing out on a normal childhood. I sometimes became frustrated and stubborn, just like Esperanza, quietly wishing things would be easier. There were many more challenges as well. Learning a new language was difficult and even small tasks like making friends or asking questions in class would feel overwhelming. I watched my parents work long hours, making sacrifices just so my siblings and I could have a better life than they
017did. And I would often worry about our future. There were times I would feel ashamed of our struggles and would try to hide parts of my life from others. But reading Esperanza's story and the challenges she went through and overcame allowed me to realize that I was not alone. Her journey taught me that it's okay to feel lost or to grieve the life you left behind. I saw how she found strength in her family, in hard work, and in hope of a better tomorrow. Over time, I began to see my struggles in a new light as the experiences that shaped me, rather than burdens to carry. Your book gave me the courage to talk about my experience with others. It also helped me realize that vulnerability is not a weakness, but a source of strength.
018So I began to share more about my background with my friends and found comfort in knowing that my story, like Esperanza's, was one of perseverance and hope. So I came to value the qualities that make up who I am. Resilience, compassion, and a deep appreciation for the sacrifices my family made. I learned to be proud of my roots and to recognize that so many other people share the same story I do. Your story changed my perspective on the world and myself. I am now more empathetic, more open to the experiences of others, and more willing to face challenges head on. I try to use my own experiences to help my own siblings and other young people who feel out of place, reminding them that their struggles can shape them in powerful ways. I also realized
019that our hardships brought our family closer together and taught me lessons I would have never learned. Overall, thank you for writing a story that made me feel seen. Esperanza's transformation inspired my own and your book will forever have a long-lasting impact on my life. I will carry the lessons of hope, courage, and kindness with me for the rest of my days. Your words have helped me embrace the past, look forward to my future, and cherish the bonds that hold my family together, no matter what obstacles we face, with much appreciation, Esmeralda Leal. Now that I've read my letter, I want to take a moment, a really deep moment, to say thank you. A mi mama. Gracias por ser el primer ejemplo de fortaleza. Gracias por trabajar tan duro cada día, incluso cuando las cosas eran
020difíciles, y por nunca dejarme sentir que no podía soñar más allá de nuestras circunstancias. Gracias por tus sacrificios, tu paciencia, y tu amor. Incluso cuando estabas cansada, me mostraras cómo es la resiliencia en la vida real. To my dad, thank you for your hard work and for always doing what you needed to do to provide for us. Thank you for your quiet strength, for being someone I can rely on, and for always pushing me forward, even when I didn't see my own potential. I am proud to be your daughter. A mi abuela. Gracias por ser el corazón de nuestra familia. Gracias por crearme mientras mis padres trabajaban largas horas. Gracias por tu calidez, tus historias, tu disciplina, y tu amor. Te considero una segunda madre, y llevo tu fortaleza conmigo cada día. Todo lo que
021soportaste abrió un camino para mí que nunca daré por sentado. To my entire family. My grandparents, my aunts, my uncles. Everyone who sacrificed in ways I may never fully understand. Thank you for building the foundation I stand on today. To my teacher, Ms. Mendez. Thank you for seeing potential in me when I didn't see it in myself. Thank you for pushing me to write even when I resisted it, and for teaching me that my voice deserves to be heard. You didn't just assign writing, you helped me find confidence. And to my past teachers, Ms. Castro, Ms. Gonzalez, Mr. Tafoya, Ms. Fell, Ms. Hortado, and Ms. Tovar. Thank you for never giving up on me. Each of you played a role in shaping my reading and writing journey. You encouraged me, supported me, and helped me
022grow from someone who saw writing as a chore into someone who now sees it as a way to express who I am. You helped me find my voice, and I cannot believe that it took me six years to finally share my experiences, to finally speak about the things I once felt I had to hide. Because of all of you, I am standing here today. And because of all of you, I now understand that my story, no matter how complicated or imperfect, is worth telling. Thank you. Again, this is Esperada Leal, ninth grader at Veterans Memorial Academy. Mrs. Mendez's creative writing students were able to practice their writing skills in monthly competitions. In January, the very first competition of Letters About Literature was the first month that was created. Students were asked to think about a
023piece of literature that impacted their lives and write to the author, explaining how their work impacted their lives. Esperada's letter earned a second place in the level three in grades nine through 12 category. Congratulations, Esperada. I wanna mention on a personal note, I've known Esperada since last year. She's part of our student ambassadors since last year, and she has grown in the past two years into a very intelligent young lady, a very active student. She's also part of the San Benito Greyhound Marching Band, plus many other activities. So again, let's give a big round of applause to Esperada Leal. She has three more years with us. At this time, we can have Ms. Gracie Martinez, principal at Veterans Memorial Academy. Please join us in the front. And Ms. Brittany Mendez, teacher also at Veterans Memorial
024Academy. Please come to the front and join us in the photo op. Congratulations, Esperada, and congratulations, Ms. Mendez also, and Ms. Martinez, thank you. In keeping with the theme of literature and libraries, we have the District Library Services Department that submitted the 2025-2026 District Battle of the Books Competition. The Regional Battle of the Books Competition was held February 26th, February 2026 at La Gruya ISD in Rio Grande City. Great job to all the students who participated with their sponsors, and a special congratulations to the Riverside students who earned third place in the regional competition. The following, the first place winners at San Mudo CISD District Competition, who competed at the Regional Battle of the Books. The following are the students who participated in that competition, and we begin with Joshlyn De La Rosa, fourth grader.
025Raiden Gaitan, fourth grade. Emma Jaime, fourth grade. Olivia Perez, fourth grade. Eliliet Casio-Perales, seventh grade. Juan Luis Delgado Salazar, seventh grade. Naelian Jocelyn Rodriguez, sixth grade. Avin Espitia, sixth grade. Noemi Aguirre, ninth grade. Regina Muniz, ninth grade. Juliana Perez, ninth grade. Sofia Villafranca, ninth grade. The sponsors of the group include Vanessa Rabasa from Ed Downs Fine Arts Academy, Adriana Tovad, Riverside Middle School, and Mr. Daniel Sanchez, Veterans Memorial Academy. At this time, if we can have the proud parents and family members who are here today, please stand to be recognized for the support you have for our students. Please stand to be recognized. Thank you, students. Thank you, sponsors. We appreciate and we'll see you next year at the next Battle of the Books. Thank you, parents, as well. The next group is the Sullivan
026Environmental Science Academy. This is the CESA 4-H results at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show that was in the 2026 Livestock Show, the CCFLS District 12 Roundup. We are extremely proud of our Sullivan Environmental Science Academy 4-H students for their hard work, dedication, and outstanding accomplishments at this year's Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show, CCFLS and District 12 Roundup. We begin with our student recognitions, and they begin with Aviana Cardenas, fourth grade. She had a sixth place placement in photo plant combo horticulture, eighth place mixed media, Western art, and first place in tempera art at the CCFLS. Congratulations, Aviana. Our next student is Autumn Gonzalez, fifth grade, third place in succulent horticulture, sixth place in pencil Western art, and first place in educational presentation open category at D12. Our next student is Cesar Gonzalez, fifth grade
027student, was a sixth place recipient in still life photography. Our next student is Cole West, fourth grade, received a fifth place in pencil Western art and photography in animal and birds participation, second place pencil art at CCFLS, and second place in animals and birds photography at CCFLS. Congratulations to Cole. Our next student is Christopher Padilla, third grade, received an eighth place in colored pencil Western art, photography in animals and birds participant, and fourth place in pencil art at CCFLS. Congratulations, Christopher. Our next student is Daniela Salasad, fifth grade, received first place ag ID team, fourth place individual ag ID, fifth place in pastels Western art, wild life contest participant, and fourth place in ag ID team at D12, and first place at ag ID team at CCFLS. Congratulations, Daniela Salasad. Our next student is Dante
028Diaz, fifth grade, a 10th place placement in flowering plants in horticulture, photography in landscaping and scenery participant, and first place in pencil art at CCFLS. Congratulations, Dante. Our next student is David Fioroa, third grade, 11th place, trailers and vines in horticulture, and ag ID team two participant. Congratulations, David. Our next student is Delilah Gutierrez, fifth grade, eighth place in fern articulture. Congratulations, Delilah. Our next student is Hannah Golarza, fifth grade, first place in ag ID individual championship buck winner, first place ag ID team, second place bulbs horticulture grand champion, advanced, fourth place wild life contest, first place watercolor Western art, fourth place black and white photography, second place talent show choreographed rodent at D12, fourth place ag ID team at D12, second place food show side dish at D12, third place landscape photography at CCFLS,
029third place black and white photography at CCFLS, and first place at ag ID team at CCLFS. Congratulations, Hannah. Our next student is Jude Renta, and fourth grade, second place photography people. Congratulations, Jude. Kaylani Garza, fifth grade, tenth place, collection of herbs, horticulture. Congratulations, Kaylani. Our next student is Chrissy Dyer, fourth grade, first place in wildlife contest championship buck winner, and first place plant combo horticulture grand champion, advanced. Congratulations, Chrissy Dyer. Oh, she has some more awards, excuse me. The next page, Chrissy continued, fourth grade, sixth place in felt tip marker Western art, photography animals and birds participant, first place in educational presentation animal science, and first place food show healthy dessert. Congratulations, Chrissy. Our next student is Lauren Morales, fifth grade, public speaking participant, and second place in talent show vocal at D12. Congratulations, Lauren.
030Our next student is Luke Hernandez, third grade, sixth place in succulent horticulture, and ag ID team two participant. Congratulations, Luke. Our next student is Mark Castilleja, fifth grade, first place ag ID team, first place photography action, and ninth place ternariums, horticulture, fourth place ag ID at D12, first place ag ID team at CCFLS, and first place at ag ID individual championship buck winner at CCFLS. Congratulations, Mark. Our next student is Maya Torres, third grade, collection of herbs participant, fifth place wildlife contest ag ID team two, participant, seventh place photography, landscape and scenery, and second place crayon art at CCFLS, congratulations, Maya. Nathan Estrada, fifth grade, first place flowering plant division horticulture, grand champion, advanced first place educational presentation open category in D12. Congratulations, Nathan. Next, Noah Hernandez, fourth grade, third place in plant combo horticulture,
031plant sold for $150. Congratulations, Noah Hernandez. Next, we have Noah Salasad, fifth grade, first place ag ID team, second place Californian market rabbits, sale of champions qualifier, sale of champions rabbits sold for $1,000, sixth place for division horticulture, wildlife participant, second place pen and ink western art and photography in the animal and birds participant. Congratulations, Noah. Our next student is Noely Tejada, fifth grade, tenth place in terrariums horticulture, seventh place colored pencil western art, ninth place photography plants and flora, first place colored pencil art at CCFLS, and first place in plant and floral photography at CCFLS. Congratulations, Noely. Our next student is Riley Rodriguez, fourth grade, fifth place in flowering plant division horticulture and eighth place in photography plants and flora. Congratulations, Riley. Our next student, Sofia Rodriguez, fifth grade, fourth place in foliage horticulture,
032second place black and white photography at CCFLS. Congratulations, Sofia. Our next student is Dexter Cordova, fifth grade, third place pencil art at CCFLS. Congratulations, Dexter. Our next student, Camila. Camila Renee Gonzalez, kindergarten, Miss Little Miss Cowgirl participant. Congratulations, Camila. Next is Camila Eileen Gonzalez, kindergartener, Miss Little Cowgirl participant. Congratulations, Camila. And next student is Celeste Hernandez, kindergarten, Little Miss Cowgirl participant. That concludes all of our students from the Sullivan Environmental Science Academy. We want to recognize the sponsor, Cora Mendez, 4-H manager, Julie Galarza, sponsor, and Ashley Jackson, sponsor. Again, the events took place at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show, March 2026 in Mercedes, Texas. The CCFLS was held in February in Los Fresnos, and March 2026 in Falfurias, Texas. Congratulations to all of our students at Sullivan Environmental Science Academy and their sponsors. Thank
033you. The principal at Sullivan Environmental Science Academy is Dr. Cynthia Claiborne. And if she can join us here in the front, along with the, along with the teachers, along with the teachers and sponsors who are here as well. As David gets them organized, we want to, at this time, if we can have the very proud parents and families that are here joining us, celebrating Sullivan Environmental Science students, please stand to be recognized for your support. We want to remind everyone, we will have our photographs officially posted on our official Facebook page as well by tomorrow. Okay, thank you students. We have one more, we have one more set of recognitions for Sullivan Environmental Science Academy. So again, once again, we want to thank our students for participating. You made San Bernardino proud at all of
034our events, and we thank you, and we thank parents and sponsors for this section. Thank you. And Dr. Claiborne, you can stay here. We have another group coming from Sullivan Environmental Science Academy. The next group to be recognized also comes from Sullivan Environmental Science Academy, and this is the e-sports competition. The SESA team came back with a first place trophy. The following students were part of the team, and we begin with David Figueroa, third grade, first place trophy. Congratulations, David. Ray Montoya, fifth grade, first place trophy. Thank you. Javier Salas, fifth grade, first place trophy. Ulysses Sanchez, fifth grade, also part of the winning team. And we have our after school program coordinator, Angel Reyna, who is the sponsor of the group. The e-sports competition was held March 28th, 2026 at region one in Annenberg,
035Texas. Congratulations to the Sullivan Environmental Science Academy e-sports team for winning first place at that competition. Thank you. Of course, our principal is Dr. Cynthia Claiborne. Thank you. At this time, we can have the parents and families of these outstanding students please stand to be recognized for the support you have for our students. Thank you, students. Thank you, Dr. Claiborne, and thank you, parents, on that recognition. Thank you. Our next group to be recognized is the San Benito High School Navy JROTC program that competed at the Area 18 Drill Team Championship. The placement of the NJROTC from San Benito High School, the students participated in the competition at Flower Above High School in Corpus Christi, Texas, against nine other programs and schools from across South and Central Texas, all in pursuit of the state championship
036title. The cadets have not participated at this level since the 2022-2023 school year. As the dust settled late Saturday afternoon, the Liberty Hounds were officially calling themselves placeholders in the state championship with our unarmed exhibition team placing third place overall while the armed exhibition team placed second overall. At this time, I'm gonna name the students and then we'll name the individual awards that they received. We begin with our San Benito High School Navy JROTC cadets. We begin with Ulma Acosta, 12th grade, San Benito High School. Arlith Aguilar, 12th grade, San Benito High School. Devante Alaniz, 12th grade, San Benito High School. Celis Alvarado, 12th grade, San Benito High School. Anthony Alvarez, 12th grade, San Benito High School. Melanie Bayee, 11th grade, San Benito High School. Carlos Cano, 10th grade, San Benito High School. Isai Cardosa,
03712th grade, San Benito High School. Jose Contreras, 10th grade, San Benito High School. Andy Garcia, 9th grade, Veterans Memorial Academy. Umber Hernandez, 11th grade, San Benito High School. Jocelyn Herrera, 9th grade, Veterans Memorial Academy. Michael Coons, 12th grade, San Benito High School. Allen Ledarde, 12th grade, San Benito High School. Aziel Lerma, 12th grade, San Benito High School. Jaziel Lerma, 9th grade, Veterans Memorial Academy. Eric Leiva, 9th grade, Veterans Memorial Academy. Penelope Dimon, 11th grade, San Benito High School. Beto Lopez, 10th grade, San Benito High School. Jared Lopez, 12th grade, San Benito High School. Allen Miranda, 10th grade, San Benito High School. Juan Miranda, 12th grade, San Benito High School. Magdalia Morales, 11th grade, San Benito High School. Jasmine Pedraza, 11th grade, San Benito High School. Polly Rodriguez, 12th grade, San Benito High School. Anthony Romero,
03812th grade, San Benito High School. Penelope Ruiz, 11th grade, San Marino High School. Emma Sabaria, 9th grade, Veteran Memorial Academy. Christisha Sierras, 12th grade, San Marino High School. Sylvia Sierras, 9th grade, Veteran Memorial Academy. David Soto, 11th grade, Veteran Memorial Academy. Alexandra Vargas, 9th grade, Veteran Memorial Academy. We wanna go ahead and list the individual accomplishments of these students. The individual accomplishments included Michael Coons and Alan Lerarde, placing sixth and ninth place respectively out of 149 cadets in academics. Alan Lerarde and Herb Ebert Hernandez, placing ninth and 12th place respectively out of 80 cadets in male pushups. Jocelyn Herrera, placing 18th out of 80 in the female pushup competition. And placing eight out of 10th overall in the state championship, the Liberty Hounds did outstanding in representing their school, community, and the nine, five, six,
039against some awesome, over their overwhelming odds. Once again, let's give a round of applause to our San Marino High School, Veteran Memorial Academy, Navy, J-R-O-T-C program. They are led by Major Ruben Esquivel, Petty Officer, First Class Polaro, and Ms. Marquez was the chaperone on this group. So we want to give them a round of applause as well. They're our sponsors and our leadership. At this time, if we could have Major Esquivel, please join us in the front. And if we could also have Petty Officer of the Polaro. And if we have Ms. Marquez also here in the house. Our two principals, our San Marino High School Principal, Ms. Mamie Lopez, also she can join us, and Veterans Memorial Academy Principal, Ms. Gracie Martinez. At this time, if we can have, once we get settled, we
040can go ahead and introduce our parents. Parents, if you are in the house, parents, family members, please stand to be recognized for the support you have for our cadets of the San Marino High School, Navy, J-R-O-T-C program. Thank you. This Saturday, they'll celebrate their military ball Saturday, April the 18th. So they're very excited. They're gonna be dressed up and ready to have a great time at their military ball. Thank you again. Congratulations, students. Congratulations to our adult sponsors and to our parents, thank you. Have a great time on Saturday. Our next group to be recognized is the San Marino High School and Veterans Memorial Academy Girls Powerlifting Team, who are regional and state qualifiers. Both regional and state was held in the Edinburgh, and in Edinburgh at the Bert Ogden Arena, and we begin with
041our students, Maria Delgado, 12th grade regional qualifier, fourth place state qualifier, sixth place, and a 12th grader at San Marino High School. Elaine Lial, regional qualifier, 11th grade, San Marino High School. Cassandra Williams, regional qualifier, 12th grade San Marino High School. Laura Bella Sanchez, regional qualifier, second place, state qualifier, second place, 10th grade, San Marino High School. Jordan Garza, regional qualifier, third place, state qualifier, 12th grade. Carolina Santos, regional qualifier, ninth place, 11th grade, San Marino High School. Danielle Padilla, regional qualifier, second place, state qualifier, fourth place, 10th grade, San Marino High School. Alize Artiaga, 11th grade, San Benito High School. Michelle Cisneros, regional qualifier, third place, state qualifier, fifth place, 12th grade, Samuel High School. Chloe Gutierrez, regional qualifier, 10th grade. Haley Galarza, regional qualifier, first place, second, state qualifier, 12th grade, Samuel High
042School. Anjali Ortega, regional qualifier, fifth place, state qualifier, fourth place, 12th grade, Samuel High School. Mia Guevara, ninth grade, Veterans Memorial Academy. Sophia Sanchez, 10th grade, Samuel High School. Holly Galarza, regional qualifier, 10th grade. Emily Reese, 11th grade, Samuel High School. Kaylin Gonzales, 11th grade, Samuel High School. Lillian Sanchez, 11th grade, Samuel High School. Jacqueline Vasquez, regional qualifier, 11th grade. Madeline Hernandez, regional qualifier, third place, and 12th grader, Samuel High School. Corina Mariero, 11th grade, Samuel High School. The sponsors and coaches of the teams include Danny Cortez, head coach, Jose Gonzales, assistant coach, and the principals of the two campuses include Ms. Mamie Lopez, principal of Samuel High School, and Gracie Martinez, principal of Veterans Memorial Academy. If they could join us here for the photo. Congratulations to the girls' powerlifting team. Let's give them
043a round of applause. At this time, if we can have the proud parents and families of our students, please stand to be recognized for your support of our students. Thank you, students. Congratulations, ladies. Congratulations to our coaches, everyone who supported our girls' powerlifting team. The next group is the San Benito High School Veterans Memorial powerlifting team, boys' powerlifting team, and this is the regional and state qualifiers. The regionals were held at Wesseco, Texas, at Wesseco East High School, and state was held in Abilene, Texas at the Taylor County Expo Center. They include first student, Allen Trevignol, regional qualifier, seventh place, state qualifier, 11th grade, San Benito High School. Nathaniel Banda, regional qualifier, 11th grade, San Benito High School. Mario Mora, 12th grade, San Benito High School. Adam Herrera, 11th grade, San Benito High School. Roland
044Cortez, 11th grade, San Benito High School. Jesus Lozano, 11th grade, San Benito High School. Ramiro Cervantes, 10th grade, San Benito High School. Adrian Santos III, ninth grade Veterans Memorial Academy. The coaches include head coach Adrian Santos Jr. and Ray Gonzalez, assistant coach. Congratulations to our students and our coaches on their regional and state qualifying placements. At this time, we can have the proud parents and families please stand to be recognized for the support of our students. Oh, I'm sorry, and the two principals as well, Mrs. Lopez and Mrs. Martinez, please join us. Congratulations students, thank you. Coaches, thank you very much, congratulations. And parents, thank you. At this time, I'm gonna go ahead and turn over the mic to our next presenter, Ms. Stephanie Ramirez, who is going to do the next presentation. Okay, good
045evening, Madam Vice President, school board members, Superintendent Mr. Perez, and to all of you. I am honored to be here before you to recognize one of the departments in our school district. The communications team of San Benito schools participated in the 2026 Texas School Public Relations Association, TSPRA conference in February. Throughout the conference, the San Benito team delivered three breakout sessions focused on social media analytics, the production of innovative reels and videos, and the development of strong community partnerships. The highlight of the conference was the announcement of the statewide TSPRA Star Awards during the annual banquet. San Benito schools proudly shares that the communication department attained 44 star awards that included 25 gold stars, 15 silver stars, and four bronze stars. This marks the second consecutive year that San Benito has captured these prestigious recognitions
046for student, staff, and community-focused media projects. For the first time in over 15 years, San Benito was also awarded two statewide best in category distinctions for video productions. These combined achievements represent the dedication of the department staff, which follows their motto of imagine, create, and deliver. San Benito school distinguishes itself as the recipient of the most TSPRA Star Awards in region one, and is the only district in Cameron County to receive these recognitions. So congratulations to the communications department staff on being the gold standard in South Texas, and we will now present their teams. And our communications department is made up of our print shop staff, our KSBG-TV staff, and also our public relations. So members of our print shop staff, we start with our lead printer, Joe Aguilar, printer, Pablo Cantu, printer, Coronado Huerta,
047and our graphic artist, Ernest Leal. And members of our KSBG-TV team, first we have Sam Alonso, who serves as a production technician, and Mr. Alonso ran lead on one of the projects that was selected as statewide best in category video. The title of that project was live sports event, SB San Benito High School softball playoff game, which was April 25th, 2025. Next we have Evan J. Martinez, who also serves as production technician. Mr. Martinez also ran, I mean, he led the statewide best in category video, and the title of that production was news information flute fiesta, hosted by the San Benito High School band in September of 2024. So congratulations on those two state recognitions. Also members of our KSBG team is also David Cortez, who serves as production technician. And we also have Sergio
048Garcia, KSBG media coordinator. And members of our public relations team, we have secretary Mara Martinez, Dulce Quiroz, who serves as our district webmaster, and Maria E. Guajardo, communications and social media specialist. And last but not least, we'd like to recognize our director of communication and public relations, Mr. Luis D. Gonzalez. Luis was elected as the 2026 to 2028 TSPR vice president for the Gulf Coast region. The Gulf Coast area comprises region one, two, and three education service centers. He will represent 99 public school districts, which is the largest TSPRA area in Texas. As vice president, Luis will serve on the TSPRA state executive committee, which advocates and promotes the importance of Texas public schools with various statewide stakeholders. So if you'd please join me in a round of applause to Mr. Gonzalez and our departments,
049our print shop, KSBG, TV, and public relations for the work that they do, and the work that they will continue doing to promote San Benito CISD. Thank you, Mr. Gonzalez, for all of those recognitions. The next item on the agenda is public comment. The next item on the agenda is public comment. Before we begin, I will remind our audience members of the board's procedures for handling public comments. The public comment portion of our meeting is available to the members of the public according to the following. At a regular board meeting, the board shall permit public comment regardless of whether the topic is an item on the agenda posted with notice of the meeting. At all other board meetings, public comments shall be limited to items on the agenda posted with notice of the meeting. Anyone
050who would like to speak during public comment must sign in prior to the start of the meeting and list the topics they want to discuss. An individual's public comments to the board shall not exceed five minutes per meeting. Please keep your comments or criticisms civil and courteous. Please avoid using profanity and refrain from making personal attacks on others during your opportunity to speak. We ask that you do not discuss students who are not your own children. In addition, the participating individual shall adhere to the following. State their full name and what organization or group, if any, is being represented. Indicate the topic about which they wish to speak. Shall I refrain from commenting directly on any individual employee or public official by name, but I may refer to a specific employment area, job title, or
051the board as a whole, and shall I refrain from attacks on individuals? Lastly, after at least one warning from the presiding officer, any individual continue to disrupt the meeting by his or her word or action. The presiding officer may request assistance from law enforcement officials that you have the individual removed from the meeting. If a speaker is seeking board resolution for a specific complaint, that concern should be addressed through the district's grievance process. District policy DGBA has been established for addressing employee complaints. Policy FNG is the avenue for filing parent complaints, and policy GF addresses community member complaints. Grievance forms can be obtained at any campus administration office or at the district central administration offices. Our first speaker is Ms. Rosalinda Garcia. Good evening, members of the board community. In San Benito CISD, the Board
052of Trustees sets the exemplary standards that best serves the interests of the children and patrons, taxpayers of the district. The Board of Trustees has the executive power and duty to govern and oversee the management of San Benito CISD. The board sets a direction for the school district. In September, 2022, the board received the financial forensic audit, which is still on the website. Let me just summarize a bit. In November, 2018, voters approved a 40 million bond proposition for the construction of three facilities. The big chunk of funds were to go to the construction of the performing arts auditorium, 30 to 31 million. As we know, the indoor facility construction manager was hired right away, as well as a contract was drawn to pay him more than $1 million for overseeing three projects. Where is he
053now? Should he return some of that? How could he have gotten paid everything ahead of schedule? A sitting tenured board member never ever had a problem with this. He never had any concerns. As we know, unfinished construction projects stand next to the Freddy Fender water tower, which will have to be demolished due to faulty construction. Who can tell me the total waste of funds that sit over there? I asked the community, why was this forensic audit done? Let me state why, in my opinion. The board then, under the leadership of board president, Ramiro Moreno, at the time was committed to moving forward and fostering a brighter outlook for our district and community. Doing what was best for our students and not one individual or individuals. I am seeing you are doing the same, board president,
054vice president, trustees, as we take this journey with caution, as we build our two facilities long overdue. And let me add, board members, as previous board members terminated the services with ABC Consulting, a savings of probably 300,000. A termination, again, that did not sit well with a present tenured board member. I am seeing all the distinctions that the PR department has been receiving to show that ABC Consulting was another vendor we were paying for what? Thank you, and have a good evening. Thank you, Ms. Garcia. Our next speaker is Josephette Lozano. Before I start, I would like to inform you that I am a little deaf and have a tremendous voice. So if I get loud, I'm sorry, I don't hear just the way everybody else hears. So I apologize for that. May you start
055the clock whenever I start speaking, please? My name is Josephette Lozano. I am a former teacher, assistant principal, administrator, police officer, criminal investigator. I was a substitute teacher here for many years and also worked as a teacher for your after school program under Libby. The next item on the- Many years ago. I currently serve as an advocate for special education students and for those parents navigating the public school system, including assisting them with grievances and working out petitions for review that go straight to TEA. I help them understand those things. But most of all, I am a former investigator, licensed private investigator, former, and a current independent journalist, investigative journalist. And so I've opened up a couple of investigations that has resulted in me looking into situations involving current board members. Number one, I'm speaking
056under the matters of public concern today under BED local in section 551.007 that allows us to criticize public officials. There has been a somebody of school board member that has publicly represented themselves as holding the position of San Benito CISD police chief. However, after I reviewed the documents under TECO, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, that does not clearly confirm that such commission position was formally held by this board member. I'm gonna ask that board member after the meeting, you have my phone number, if they can meet with me, we can try to confirm that. Secondly, the same board of trustee has publicly, let me go to the next page. The public records have indicated under case number CR6495-23M reflects that the same board member's nephew was represented by an attorney that represents the school
057district. The same attorney who represents San Benito CISD received a raise of $12,500 from a starting pay of $4,000 a month for a total of $150,000 a year to represent the school district. And it was voted on by two individuals that sit here before me that are running for public office. What I'm doing is I'm looking into whether that attorney who represents the school district, if funds were funneled to help support the nephew of the sitting board member. I'm asking for them to clarify that, and I'm asking for the school district to look into these matters to determine why that attorney's name, the other thing I wanna say is I wanna apologize to the San Benito CISD police officers because I know how hard it is. There was an incident involving that same board member
058that used vulgar language against these officers. These are the same officers that a task was providing security for the community, the children, and the parents of the school district. And I know how difficult your job is. On behalf of the public, I wanna apologize to you because I know how difficult your job is. I'm so sorry that you're treated that way. If I do not get answers or resolutions within 48 hours of you handing on my phone number so that I can speak to those sitting board members as to why $12,500 of school funds are being funneled to an attorney that also represents the nephew of these board members, then we want answers. I am gonna be open up investigations, open records request, text messages, emails, and get to the bottom of why. Thank you,
059Mr. Lozano. Thank you so much. I wanna leave you before I leave. Thank you. The next item on the agenda is the board report. And so I wanna go ahead and start off by thanking all our teachers, our staff, everyone that has been preparing for STAR. I know we're in the middle of STAR, and it's a heavy load, but your hard work is going to pay off. We thank you for the support that you are providing to your students, to your staff, to our administrators. Thank you for supporting staff. And we wanna thank everybody for all the hard work that they're doing. And summer's almost here. We're a little over a month away, so hopefully you'll be able to get some rest during that time. At this time, I am going to be reading our
060annual announcement on continuing education of board members. And we will start in alphabetical order by first name. Alejandro Reina, three hours. Ariel Cruz, 66 hours. Cristo Hernandez, 26 hours. Frutoso Gomez, zero hours. Israel Villarreal, 12 hours. Orlando Lopez, zero hours. Rudy Corona, 22 hours. Our next item on the agenda is our superintendent's report. Good evening, everybody. Just from the length of our presentations today, you can see that good things are happening in San Benito. I wanna congratulate all those students. I know we gave the majority of the principals off today, but I wanna thank them for everything they're doing right now. Our kids are in full swing, STAR testing. It's a lot of work. It also distinguishes the end of the year for us. As we get into our final couple of days, we're just
061super excited. For all the work we've done and look forward to our summer break. So thank you everybody for what you do and go Hounds. Thank you, Mr. Perez. Our next item is a presentation report. Item 6.1, Apple Distinguished School Programs with recognition of Dr. C.M. Cash Elementary as the first school in SPCISD to receive this honor. David Hernandez, Ernesto Ayala, Apple K-12 representatives. Ms. Cornett. Yes. So I'd like to welcome our Apple representatives, Dr. Hernandez, David Hernandez, and Mr. Ernesto Ayala. They could join us here in the front. We are excited, very excited, to announce that Dr. C.M. Cash Elementary, led by Principal Zique Rodriguez, has been selected as an Apple Distinguished School, a three-year designation. This prestigious designation recognizes schools for their continuous innovation in using Apple technology to inspire, imagine, and impact
062teaching and learning. Dr. C.M. Cash Elementary joins an elite Apple Distinguished Schools global community of over 1,000 schools in over 40 countries in the world and one of 548 schools in the entire United States. So congratulations. I'm gonna hand it over to Dr. Hernandez and Mr. Ayala. Dr. Hernandez, with me is my colleague Ernesto Ayala. You're part of the Apple education team that supports your school district and it is our extreme pleasure to be here tonight in recognition of Dr. C.M. Cash Elementary as our newest Apple Distinguished Schools. Before we do the recognition, I'd like to kind of give you a background on what this program is and why it's important and the prestige that comes along with it. Our Apple Distinguished Schools program is, let me switch to this really quickly, there we go.
063They are lighthouses around the world that identify innovation and education using Apple technology and when we reach out to school leaders, district leaders, school principals, we try to find schools that are innovating at a high level. They're using our tech, their teachers are teaching at that high level, they're integrating, students are collaborating, and we see creativity coming out naturally as a result of the devices that they have with them. To give you some background, first step is to identify the campus and when we first met with San Benito, when I met with Mr. Eduardo Farias and school district leadership here, we wanted to identify which schools in the district would be candidates and C.A.S.H. definitely bubbled up as one of those schools that would be one of the front runners to be part of this
064program. From there, we kind of work with the school leadership, with the school principal, we help build that leadership so that they're prepared to submit this application as part of the process. And then finally, this next step is gonna be coming very soon is the elevation of that school, sharing the success, sharing the best practices, not only within the district, but regionally, statewide, nationally, as well as global, this is a global distinction. Right now, as it stands, over 1,200 schools in 41 countries are represented as Apple Distinguished, so it is a global recognition. Here in the U.S., it's about 500 plus schools, but you can find a school in Australia, in the UK, in China that have this recognition as well. And the commonality among all of them is that they are using Apple technology
065in their schools. Here in our region, in the Rio Grande Valley, there are a total of 19 schools in five districts, with San Benito being one of those. This is the Apple Distinguished Schools logo. This is something that the school can now emblazon on their website. This is something that you can promote on your district website. There's a banner that we'll be giving that they can promote the fact that they are distinguished schools. And what this tells your community is that this campus is using the very same technology that you see out in colleges and universities and in the workforce. Apple technology is not something that is just used in K-12. It is used throughout. We know the consumer side of things, but most definitely on the education and workforce side as well. So at
066this moment, I'd like to call up Mr. Rodriguez and the Dr. C.M. Cash team that's here represented so we can do the recognition. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Can I have my team hold it right now? Yes. There we go. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Perez, at this time, I am going to move that we take a five minute recess. Okay. We will be taking a five minute recess. Okay. At this time, we will resume our meeting. So the next item on the agenda is consent agenda, academic services. In order to promote efficient meetings, the board may act upon more than one item by a single vote through the use of consent agenda. Consent items placed on the agenda shall be marked with an asterisk. Consent
067items are for which no board discussion is anticipated and for which the superintendent recommends approval. Prior to the time which approval of consent agenda is had at the request of any member of the board of trustees, any item on the consent agenda shall be removed and given individual consideration. At this time, I will ask each individual board member if they would like for any item to be pulled from the consent agenda. And we will start from left to right. Mr. Reyna, I can give you more time if you need to look over more. They already read it. Mr. Gomez? Not at this time. I have no item that I wish to pull. Mr. Corona? No. Can I get a motion to approve all? I have a motion by Mr. Corona to approve all the items.
068Do I have a second? Second. I have a second. All those in favor? Motion carries. Our next item is our closed meeting. In accordance with the Texas Government Code Open Meetings Act, the board may move into closed session for the following reasons. Section 551.071 for the purpose of a private consultation with the board's attorney on any or all subjects or matters authorized by law. Section 551.074 for the purpose of considering the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee or to hear complaints or charges against a public officer or employee. It is 6.58, and we will be going into closed session. OK, it is 8.03, and we are reconvening into open session. Agenda item 11.1, employment, resignations, retirements, and terminations. Mr. Fettis? Yes, I ask the board to approve
069the employment, resignations, retirements, and terminations as discussed in executive session. I have a motion by Mr. Corona and a second by Mr. Gomez. All those in favor? Motion carries. Item 11.2, consideration of possible action on the non-renewal of the 2025-2026 Chapter 21 contract of LH. Yes, I ask the board, as discussed in executive session, to approve the non-renewal of the 2025-2026 Chapter 21 contract of LH. Do we have a motion? And we have a motion by Mr. Corona. Second. A second by Mr. Reyna. All those in favor? Motion carries. And 11.3, consideration of possible action regarding legal update on Performing Arts Center and auditorium. And there is no action required for that item. At this time, there is no more business to discuss. So if there is no objection, the meeting is adjourned at 8.05
070PM.