SAN ANTONIO \u2013 San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) Superintendent Jaime Aquino will retire early next year after 40 years in public education, he announced Friday. <\/p>\n
In a news release, the district said that Aquino will officially leave the post in January 2027. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis was not an easy decision,\u201d Aquino said in the release. \u201cI look forward to spending more time with my family, whom I have, for many years, unintentionally placed second to the demands of this work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aquino became the district\u2019s superintendent in May 2022. <\/p>\n
According to Aquino\u2019s online SAISD bio, he developed a six-year sustainability plan that the district anticipates will eliminate the multimillion-dollar budget deficit accumulated over decades. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not goodbye,\u201d Aquino said in the release. \u201cBetween now and January, I will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that we keep building schools where our students can dream boldly and pursue those dreams without limits.\u201d <\/p>\n
In a Facebook post<\/a>, Aquino said he was \u201ceternally thankful\u201d for the opportunity to serve as a mentor to thousands of students. <\/p>\n \u201cWhile I never had children of my own, I will be eternally thankful to the (SAISD) Board of Trustees for giving me the extraordinary gift of fatherhood \u2014 allowing me to be a father and grandfather to more than 40,000 students,” Aquino said. <\/p>\n Aquino has been the subject of multiple KSAT Investigates stories in recent years. <\/p>\n A January 2024 KSAT investigation revealed, under Aquino\u2019s watch, the district spent more than $9 million from its 2020 bond at campuses that were scheduled to shut down.<\/a><\/p>\n Two months later, KSAT Investigates learned how misinformation from the district and inadequate heating during winter weather<\/a> in January 2024 contributed to dozens of schools to close down for multiple days. <\/p>\n Records previously obtained showed that he took 22 trips in less than two years<\/a>. Total cost: $21,000. <\/p>\n