GISD accepts Superintendent Dr. Elmer Avellaneda's resignation

Gonzales ISD Board of Trustees unanimously accepted Superintendent Dr. Elmer Avellaneda’s resignation effective Jan. 6 at a special called meeting Saturday, Nov. 16 at the GISD Administration building.

After meeting in executive session for approximately 40 minutes, a motion was made to accept Avellaneda’s resignation agreement with family medical issues cited as the reason for his departure from the district. A second motion was approved to name GISD Chief Financial Officer Amanda Smith as the acting superintendent effective Dec. 2.

“Dr. A has informed the board president that he will take personal leave effective Dec. 2 to take care of his family,” Trustee Josie Smith-Wright said when making the motion regarding Avellenada’s resignation.

Avellaneda was hired as the superintendent after the conclusion of the 2021-22 school year. Under his leadership the past two years, the district saw a November 2023 $51 million bond issue pass to build a new CTE building and Ag center as well as make improvements for safety and other issues at all existing campuses.

The district has said it will move forward with searching for a new superintendent but has not announced a timeline of how such a search would move forward. When Avellaneda was hired to succeed former Superintendent John Schumacher, the Texas Association of School Boards Executive Search Services has been hired to conduct the process.