Seguin ISD officially recognized as one of the top school boards in Texas

Seguin, TX, USA / Seguin Today

Cindy Aguirre

(Seguin) – The Seguin ISD Board of Trustees has officially been awarded for its distinction of being named Region 20 School Board of the Year.

A glass award, banner and a letter from the Region 20 office were recently presented to the members of the Seguin ISD Board of Trustees.

In early July, trustees learned that they had been selected as the top board. That’s out of the dozens of others who oversee school district operations in Region 20 – a region that includes Guadalupe, Wilson, Comal as well as Bexar County which alone has 16 school districts.

Seguin ISD Superintendent Dr. Matthew Gutierrez, who nominated the board for the recognition, says this team has helped to support an array of programs and the overall growth of the school district.

“Some of the things that were highlighted in the letter that the Region 20 Deputy Executive Deputy was that we are putting in place innovative programs for our students. They particularly highlighted the Link Program that is through a partnership with Texas Christian University that affords our students four unstructured recess periods along the with character development program. They showcase the Early College High School where our students have the opportunity to obtain an associate’s degree prior to even graduating from high school but they really commended the work that our school board does to really focus on student achievement to meet the needs of our students while keeping in mind the importance of continuing to focus on our facilities as far as maintaining or updating our current facilities but also thinking about the future growth that is coming to Seguin ISD,” said Gutierrez.

Having stood on the front lines with this board for the last few years, Gutierrez says there is no other group that is more deserving.

“I really just echo some of the sentiments that Region 20 shared, but I also shared my own personal experience with this board that I have the honor and privilege of working alongside. I have the opportunity to meet and talk with other superintendents throughout the state and I certainly feel like we are in a very unique position in Seguin ISD to have a board that is just so focused on student achievement and really understand their role as a governing body. They truly act as a body and not as individuals because they know and realize that there is so much power in them as a whole and not just them as a board of seven but as a team of eight that includes the superintendent,” said Gutierrez.

Gutierrez says not only is its past work being recognized but also the work that has already laid out on the table.

“It is a result of that strong team of eight that we are now launching Strategic Plan 2.0. We are looking at a possible bond referendum in November and really just focused on the future of the Seguin ISD in ensuring that all of our students will be attending a school that is a B or better,” said Gutierrez.

As reported before, the district now goes on to compete against 19 other regions for the top title in the state. The members of the school board include Jimenez, District 3; Carl Jenkins, District 1; Glenda Moreno, District 7; Alejandro Guerra, District 2; Linda Duncan, District 4; Denise Crettenden, District 6; and Ben Amador, District 5.

On hand during its school board meeting to present the awards was Dr. Carolyn Castillo, deputy director for Region 20.

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