“This pandemic has been rough. ... We have to figure out a way so that we can rally together and continue to take care of this country's most valuable resource—our future, our kids,” board President Justine Durant said at the special-called Jan. 28 meeting. “Because that's what it's all about. I'm looking forward to this new journey, and I'm looking forward to working with Dr. Hinojosa.”
After the trustees’ motion passed, Hinojosa signed her employment contract with SISD and spoke to a crowd of community members, students, parents and district staff who gathered at SISD’s Community Engagement Center on Jan. 28.
“I want us to have joy in the work that we do,” Hinojosa said. “Joy for our students that are coming to school every single day, and joy in the spirits of our parents and our community that they believe and they trust in us.”
Hinojosa gave her speech first in English and then in Spanish. Aspects of the meeting were also repeated in Spanish, and in an interview with Community Impact Newspaper on Jan. 28, Hinojosa said she plans to keep making this service available at future board meetings.
“We are ... almost 49%, Hispanic in our population,” Hinojosa said. “And so there's a portion of our population that continues to grow. And yet, we are creating barriers for them to participate in the educational process of their children. And the board meeting is where decisions are being made.”
Hinojosa was named the lone finalist for SISD’s superintendent position Jan. 6. She replaces former Superintendent Rodney Watson, who announced he would be leaving SISD in October for a position with the Texas Association of School Boards.
Hinojosa is now the first woman and first Hispanic woman to serve in the role in SISD's history. Prior to over the role as superintendent, Hinojosa served as SISD's chief of innovation and equity. She began working for SISD in 2014 as the district's chief academic officer and began her education career as a teacher with Houston ISD. Hinojosa has a doctorate of education and a master’s degree from the University of Houston.
During the remaining months of the 2021-22 school year, Hinojosa said she hopes to prioritize student learning loss due to the ongoing pandemic as well as equity in the quality of education students receive, she said.
“Because I have been the chief of innovation and equity, I worked very closely with the board to develop the strategic plan,” Hinojosa said. “We're specifically working on an acceleration plan to ensure that our students recover that learning loss. And so from now until the end of the year, we've got to stay the course.”
