The DCISD school board met in special session on Monday night at 5 pm to consider new hires, resignations/retirements, a reassignment, and maybe the most important item, to consider a new Athletic Director.
There were no questions concerning the new hires until the name of a possible new head baseball coach came up. New board member Cody Williams questioned the hiring of any new coach until an athletic director was in place to recommend an individual. Robbie Underhill was quick to agree with Williams. However, Jess Roberts, who was a former athletic director before his move to Denver City, noted it was getting late in the year and felt like, based on the recommendations of superintendent Gary Davis, there should be no issue in the hiring of any new coach.
“Timing is not the best as far as AD issues or the hiring of new coaches,” Roberts said.
This led to several minutes of discussion among the board members including Williams questioning the qualifications of the new baseball coach. Roberts assured Williams he had family in Ft. Stockton (the current location of the coach in question) and he comes highly recommended. Davis agreed.
Junior high principal Billy Moore said he had interviewed the new coach for a teaching position on his campus and he felt like he was more than qualified for the position.
Board President Brad Woosley then suggested they should skip the approval of the new hires and the athletic director until they could address concerns during an executive meeting.
Before going into executive session the board unanimously approved the following resignations/retirements: Rodney Curtis (high school science and baseball coach), Chad Dennis (swimming pool director and baseball coach), Jarryd Taylor (high school history and football coach), Marian Miller (Kelley Elementary), Regina Cummings (high school math aide), Ernestine Dominquez (Mustang Cafeteria), Laura Taylor (junior high teacher and coach), Sharon Scott (Elementary crossing guard), Steve Taylor (Athletic Director), and Lisa Landry (High School Theater Arts and One Act Play director). Carla Cruz was reassigned to a junior high ELA teacher.
At 5:20 the board went into Executive Session which ended at 7:47. When they returned to open session the new hires were unanimously approved after a motion from David Mitchell and second by Robbie Underhill. These included Mary (Katie) Huse (2nd grade Math/Science), DeeAnna Carrasco (4th grade ELA), B.J. Green (DCISD Diagnostician), Sheri Parsons (Life Skill Aide in junior high), Sonya Sanchez (Kindergarten) Angelita Sainz (High School Custodian), Tina King (Junior High Counselor), Twyla Jones (4th grade Math), Steven Taylor (High School Social Studies, assistant football and baseball coach), Tracy Taylor (4th Grade ELA), and Chris Gonzales (6th grade Science, head baseball coach).
The board then unanimously approved a motion to open the Athletic Director’s position to all applicants. According to the job posting on the school website it will remain open until filled.
The board will next meet in regular session on June 19 when action could be taken on the Athletic Director position. One local application is expected to be submitted for the position.
