Texas Education Agency

 

Michael Williams
Commissioner

?108-910

Via Certi?ed Mail
Regular Mail

December 30, 2015

Juan J. Ramos, Jr., Board President
Martin Cuellar, Superintendent
Progreso Independent School District
PO Box 610

Progreso, Texas 78579-610

Dear Mr. Ramos and Mr. Cuellar:

The purpose of this letter is to notify you of my appointments to the board of managers to the
Progreso Independent School District (ISD or district). In separate correspondence dated
December 30, 2015, the Texas Education Agency's Deputy Commissioner of Education, acting on
my behalf as designee, noti?ed the Progreso ISD of his decision to lower the district?s accreditation
status to Accredited-Warned and appoint a board of managers to the district. As noted in that
correspondence, the members of the board of managers will be responsible for overseeing the
management of the Progreso ISD.

appoint the following individuals to serve as the board of managers for the Progreso ISD:

Art Beckwith

Josefa Martinez
Martha Feldtman Noell
Olga Oviedo

Linda Romeros

The majority of the board of managers is composed of members of the Progreso community. Their
close ties to the community will be a great asset to the district as it strives to meet the challenges
ahead. All of the individuals appointed are committed to service on behalf of the students of the
district and the community. They will provide the leadership needed to begin working toward
positive change for the district.

The current management team?s appointment will remain active until the board of managers is
installed, at which time the management team?s appointment will be suspended.

Section 39.112(b) of the Texas Education Code requires that I also appoint a superintendent. I
therefore appoint Dr. lsmael Cantu to serve as interim Superintendent of the district. Dr. Cantu
formerly served as the Interim Superintendent for the Progreso Dr. Cantu?s familiarity with the
community and the issues facing the Progreso ISD will be an asset as the district works toward
resolving the identi?ed issues.

It is my sincere desire that the agency, the district, and the community work together in a
cooperative and productive manner. If you have questions regarding the appointment of the board
of managers, please contact Ron Rowell in the Division of School Governance at (512) 463-9623
or via email at ronald.rowell@tea.texasgov.

Sincerely,

 

 ichaei Williams
Commissioner of Education

MW/cc

cc: Dr. Cornelio Gonzalez, Executive Director, Region 1, Education Service Center
Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds, Chief Deputy Commissioner, TEA
Alice McAfee, Associate Commissioner, Complaints, Investigations, and Enforcement, TEA
Lisa Dawn?Fisher, Associate Commissioner, School Finance, TEA
Sally Partridge, Associate Commissioner, Accreditation and School improvement, TEA
Nora Hancock, Associate Commissioner, Grants and Federal Fiscal Compliance, TEA
Von Byer, General Counsel, TEA
Nichole Bunker-Henderson, Deputy General Counsel, TEA
Christopher Jones, Senior Legal Counsel, TEA
Eric Marin, Legal Counsel, TEA
Leah Martin, Director, Accreditation, TEA
Ron Rowell, Director, School Governance, TEA
Richard Clifford, Conservator
Hermelinda Romeros, Conservator