New PSJA interim superintendent promises stability, competence

PHARR — After an exceptionally fast leadership change in November, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo’s new interim superintendent is promising stability and a servant-leader approach while he leads the district through a potentially turbulent near future.

Alejandro Elias, 53, officially started in the district’s top spot on Wednesday, bringing a resume to the table that includes eight years as principal of PSJA Early College High School, other education positions, a doctorate, and a career prior to education in which he spent 15 years working his way through leadership positions with H-E-B.

Elias is somewhat soft spoken, and a bit camera shy.

The Pharr native and PSJA grad was evidently having a busy first week in charge. He said in his first two days he’d met with representatives from UTRGV and STC, 46 district principals and other stakeholders.

A to-go box from Jason’s Deli remained on hand, unopened, Thursday afternoon in Elias’ conference room. Back to back meetings had set back Elias’ lunch.

Despite the workload, Elias was prepared to say Thursday that he’d be interested in the job permanently.

“I think at this point, if the community believes in my experience and the board believes in my experience…well let me prove it,” he said. “And if not, then when it opens up for a search, if I’m not worthy of it, then so be it, it’s fine.”

It’s to be expected that Elias is busy. Things are moving fast at PSJA since a new majority took hold of the district’s board, promising change.

That newly reorganized board has not yet even had time to hold a regular meeting. Two special meetings in less than a month, however, have resulted in the ouster of former Superintendent Jorge Arredondo, with Elias in the interim superintendency, and a preliminary step toward a forensic audit.

Elias promised Wednesday a stable guiding hand during his superintendency, although he says he’ll pay attention to the new board’s desire for change. He says no major shake ups are in the works, and he promised to judge individuals based on merit rather than past affiliations.

“I’m here to find resources for everybody,” he said. “I’m here not to judge, but to see what I can do to help them grow and to help them succeed. Their success is my success, my success is the community’s success and the board’s success.”

That pledge is significant in the PSJA ISD community, which has been bitterly divided along partisan lines in recent months.

Elias himself was embroiled in a partisan controversy at the district just months ago, when he resigned and sued the district, alleging the PSJA ISD and its then board president were politically retaliating against him by forcing him into a central office assignment he did not want. The district responded in court, saying that reassignment was being made for legitimate, non-discriminatory purposes.

In October, Elias reached a settlement agreement with the district, which he says precludes him from talking about its details. The Monitor filed an open records request for documents related to that settlement.

For his part, Elias has not shied away from politics. He organized at least one campaign event for PSJA Fairness for All, the slate of trustee candidates who won three seats in November and paved the way for Elias being named to the interim superintendent position.

Despite the politics, Elias says his experience at ECHS gives him the experience to take a servant-leader approach and develop a cohesive team.

“The first thing you look for as a leader is trust, loyalty, and you look for people that are going to be willing to follow the vision and work together as a team and partners,” he said. “And that’s what we have to do. Now of course I can’t say that everybody’s going to be on board, because you always have some that follow, some that don’t. But at the end of the day it’s a team, and that’s how you build it together.”

Still, there are likely significant changes on the horizon for the district. Aside from the superintendency change, the new majority supports pursuing a forensic audit.

It’s not clear exactly what that audit may look into, and Elias says he doesn’t have a stance on it.

Members of the new majority have in the past called for a more conservative approach to growth and construction. They’ve also expressed concern over employees’ treatment and hiring practices.

“Change always has to come,” Elias said. “If people don’t see the vision the way I’m gonna see it — cause we need loyalty, we need trust in order to embed the vision that we want to follow. And of course the vision comes from the board.”

As far as growth and expenditures, Elias says he’ll base his decisions on where the district will get the most bang for its buck regarding students.

“If it’s gonna benefit the majority, yes,” he said. “If it’s only to benefit a small group — well, why are we gonna spend so much for a small group when we can spend for a big group and do something that’s gonna really help everybody else?”

Benefiting a large group of students — and prospective students — in a way that attracts them to PSJA has been the top priority for the district for at least a year.

Over the summer, facing an enrollment decline, the district discussed steps to avoid running over a “financial cliff” in 2023, although a subsequent assessment of finances was less grim.

The district has repeatedly launched initiatives aimed at marketing and developing programs to entice students and parents into enrolling.

Elias says he has a track record of accomplishing that task at ECHS.

“We were bursting at the seams at that campus with 2,400 students, never saw a downfall, every year it was growing and growing,” he said. “But it’s because of the promotion that we did for that school. I know that I’m going to work very closely with my PR department.”

The biggest asset of the district, Elias said, is its community. The hard part, he said, is doing the work to leverage those relationships with municipalities, higher education institutions and stakeholders.

“The challenge is, how do you get everybody involved in following the vision,” he said. “And I think that comes by building partnerships. Working together. We can’t do it alone.”