Aldine ISD Trustees Hold Monthly Board Meeting

Aldine ISD’s Board of Trustees held their regular monthly board meeting on Tuesday, May 19 in the Board Room of the Donaldson Administration Building.

During the May 19 Aldine ISD Board of Trustees meeting, Paul Cordova was sworn in as the new police chief of the Aldine ISD Police Department. AISD General Counsel Kaye DeWalt, right, administered the oath of office.

Board President Paul Shanklin, Vice-President Rose Avalos, Assistant Secretary Dr. Kimberley Booker and Member Steve Mead joined Aldine ISD Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Selina Chapa and members of the Executive Leadership Team in the Board Room, while Secretary Connie Esparza and Members Randy Bates and Dr. Viola M. Garcia participated in the meeting via teleconference along with other ELT members.

Members of Dr. Goffney’s Coronavirus Task Force provided the Board with updates on what their respective committees have been working on since they last reported at the April 21 Board meeting.

Also during the meeting, Paul Cordova was sworn in as the new police chief of the Aldine ISD Police Department. General Counsel Kaye DeWalt administered the oath office as Chief Cordova’s wife Marie looked on.

Cordova brings 37 years of law enforcement experience to Aldine ISD. He comes to Aldine after serving as Police Chief of the Houston Independent School District. He has also served as HISD’s assistant police chief, as captain of the Rice University Police Department, as Homeland Security Captain for the Harris County Sheriff’s Department, a Criminal Warrants Captain for the Harris County Sheriff’s Department, as a Patrol Captain for the Sheriff’s Office, as an inmate Processing/Transportation Captain with the Sheriff’s Department, as a Criminal Warrants Lieutenant with that same department and as an Inmate Processing Lieutenant with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department.

Cordova also has experience as a Transportation Lieutenant, as a Housing Lieutenant, as a Patrol Sergeant, as a Courts Sergeant, as a Houston Sergeant, as a Detective, as a Patrol Deputy and as a Housing Detention Officer with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Prior to his swearing in, Dr. Goffney thanked AISD Police Captain Kevin Northey for serving as interim chief for nearly a year while the district conducted a search for a new police chief.

Cordova thanked Dr. Goffney and the Board for choosing him to lead Aldine’s Police Department.

“I want to thank the Board and Dr. Goffney for choosing me to lead this great agency,” Cordova said. “I will work hard to protect Aldine’s students and staff.”

Cordova received his associate degree of applied science from Lone Star College and his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University. He is a certified Master Peace Officer, Master Jailer, Crime Prevention Specialist and a Police Instructor.

Cordova and his wife have two daughters, Monica Cordova Aces and Victoria, both of whom graduated from Nimitz High School. Monica was the salutatorian of her senior class.

In addition to Chief’s Cordova’s hiring, Dr. Goffney announced that Jose Almendarez would serve as the new principal of Hambrick Middle School after serving as the principal of Sammons Elementary School.

AISD Trustees also approved a resolution ending the period of emergency closure as defined under DEA (local) due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and will discontinue premium pay for district employees who were requested to work during the closure of the district. Premium pay will cease on May 23, 2020. All employees will continue to receive their normal pay.

The resolution also provides Dr. Goffney the authority to:

• Determine and implement plans of altered operations while schools and district buildings remain closed to provide services to students.
• Set work schedules including remote/telework or in-person work assignments based on the needs of the district.
• Add compensation for designated employees whose work warrants additional compensation due to the conditions of their assignment (for example Child Nutrition employees who provide curbside food services).
• Continue to develop, maintain and monitor the distance/remote learning for Aldine students.
• Adjust or temporarily modify board policies related to distance/remote learning during this time of altered operations.
• Determine when the district will resume normal operations.

Aldine ISD Trustees also approved the following during the May 19 Board meeting:

• Approved the minutes of the April 21 Board meeting.
• Approved the minutes of the special called meeting on May 7.
• Approved the special called meeting and budget workshop on May 14.
• Approved the consent agenda.
• Approved a number of bids.
• Approved contracts and purchases of more than $50,000.
• Approved the general fund budget amendment for Period 11 for the 2019-2020 school year.
• Approved the monthly tax office refunds.
• Approved revisions to board policy EIC (local) on retention and promotion.

The June Board meeting will be held on June 9 at 7 p.m. in the Board Room of the Donaldson Administration Building.