AUSTIN – Commissioner of Education Mike Morath has announced the appointment of a five-member board of managers for the Southside Independent School District in San Antonio.

On Feb. 1, 2017, Commissioner Morath notified the Southside ISD of his final decision to appoint a board of managers in conjunction with the district’s 2015-2016 lowered accreditation status to Accredited-Warned, coupled with findings of an agency Special Accreditation Investigation into the district. 

In a letter dated May 18, 2017, Commissioner Morath formally notified the district of his appointments, which take effect immediately. The powers of the current board have been suspended, and the appointed board of managers will be responsible for overseeing the management of the school district. A majority of the board of managers must consist of members of the Southside ISD community who are committed to service on behalf of the students of the district.

The Commissioner’s appointees to the Southside board of managers are: 

• Bruce Brannon – General Manager for Whataburger, Brannon also served in the military as a Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army.
• Lonna Clinch – A retired Special Programs Director in the Medina Valley Independent School District, Clinch has also served as adjunct faculty in education preparation for teacher certification at Texas A&M University – San Antonio.
• Gabriel Farias – President and CEO of the West Chamber of Commerce, Farias is owner of PRMP Group of Texas, a multi-client public relations, marketing and policy-based small business.
• Velia Minjarez – A retired educator, Minjarez has served in multiple education roles as Director of Elementary Education, elementary school principal and as a TEA-appointed district monitor and/or conservator in multiple school districts and charters, including Southside ISD.
• Dolores Sendejo – An Associate Superintendent, South Central Region for Jubilee Academic Center, Sendejo has experience as an Educational Specialist, Migrant, Supervisor for Education Service Center, Region 20 in San Antonio.

In addition to appointing the members of the Southside ISD board of managers, Commissioner Morath announced that current district superintendent Mark E. Eads will continue in that role.

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