Seguin ISD superintendent to serve through 2024

Seguin, TX, USA / Seguin Today

Cindy Aguirre

(Seguin) — The Seguin ISD Board of Trustees is showing its vote of confidence by unanimously approving a two-year contract extension for its superintendent of schools.

Trustees Thursday night approved the contract extension for Superintendent Matthew Gutierrez following a two-hour evaluation behind closed doors. Board President Cinde Thomas-Jimenez says the district is honored to operate under the leadership of  Dr. Gutierrez.

“Dr. Gutierrez has 100 percent backing from this board and we are really looking forward to another couple of years with him in addition to what was already in his contract,” said Jimenez.

Gutierrez says he is appreciative of the support and is eager to continue the district’s proud mission.

“For one, I’m just grateful for this board of trustees and the faith that they have placed in me to lead this amazing district and I do have to say this has been the smoothest evaluation process but that is just the result of the high performing team that I have the opportunity to work alongside,” said Gutierrez.

Dr. Gutierrez says the results of his evaluation, he believes, are the efforts of a strong partnership with the board of trustees.

“Our board of trustees is laser focused on four specific goals that they spent six months working through last year in a highly collaborate process. They developed those goals alongside my team and working the Texas Association of School Boards so rather than what you typically see a school board focusing on all the things that aren’t going to have an impact on student achievement, this board is focused on four superintendent goals that they developed so I know exactly what they expect of me. Now, with COVID coming, it is kind of changing that course somewhat because we didn’t have the last several months of school to really look at data when it came to literacy and closing out the school year with other things like curriculum framework and rigor relevance framework but we were able to really have fellow conversation surrounding that work and the school board awarded those efforts by extending my contract for another two years which I am extremely thankful for. I didn’t expect two years. I thought if it was going to be extended, it would be by one more year,” said Gutierrez.

The board Thursday night also opted to hold off on approving any increase of Gutierrez’s salary. Jimenez says the decision was in no way a reflection of his performance but instead a decision based on doing what is financially responsible during these times of uncertainty.

“We decided that just given the climate and not knowing whether teachers and staff would be given any type of raise that it would be fair just to wait until we announce that if any. We are hoping to give them something and then whatever raise that they give as an increase, he would get the same increase,” said Jimenez.

As for Gutierrez, he says he fully understands the board’s decision and looks forward to working even harder for all employees.

 “What I don’t know if people realize is that I have also worked hard to tighten our budget because I am determined to be able to do something to compensate our employees. I feel strongly about doing something for them whether it’s a salary increase or retention stipend. I am determined to do something for our staff and in order to do that and feel confident about that decision, we’ve got to tighten our budget, department budgets and reclassify positions and eliminate positions because I am determined to be able to give some type of salary increase or retention stipend to our staff. The board realizes that and what they have agreed on is that whatever is approved for our employees would be the same for me so whatever that may be when we approve the compensation plan, it would align with what we are doing for other staff as well,” said Gutierrez.

Dr. Gutierrez, who began in 2017, will see his contract extended through 2024.