Months after Grand Prairie ISD suspended its former superintendent, the district announced Wednesday that it has a lone finalist for its new superintendent.
Gabriel (Gabe) Trujillo has more than 30 years of public education experience, with a long history of serving in Texas school districts, and has been both state and nationally recognized for his leadership as principal, according to the district.
Trujillo previously served in Plainview and Duncanville ISDs and spent the last five years as Nacogdoches ISD superintendent, where he was nominated twice for Superintendent of the Year.
No stranger to Grand Prairie ISD, Trujillo also spent seven years in the North Texas school district. While at Grand Prairie ISD, he held the positions of Director of Secondary Education, Chief of Schools, and Area Superintendent.
Grand Prairie ISD Board President Amber Moffitt said the board was "thrilled" to bring Trujillo back to the district.
“We believe Dr. Trujillo’s presence will provide the leadership our students and staff need to continue to thrive and be successful," Moffitt said in a statement. "And, because he was a solid, well-respected member of our administration prior to becoming the Superintendent for Nacogdoches ISD, we are especially confident in his ability to interact with and gain the trust of our staff which is necessary to make change and move us to a tier of excellence here at GPISD.”
Grand Prairie ISD Board of Trustees is mandated by the state to wait 21 days and then will finalize Trujillo's appointment, with an expected start date in early April.
The superintendent position has been practically vacant since former superintendent Jorge Arredondo was suspended in September of last year, two months into his role.
Arredondo's suspension was followed by months of legal back and forth with the district after he sued it and its trustees, alleging he was denied the chance to defend himself against their claims and that the district violated his contractual and constitutional rights.
Arredondo filed for a temporary restraining order that blocked trustees from firing him, but the order was voided when GPISD requested the case be moved to federal court.
He was later removed from his position in December and in February the district approved, in a 4-3 vote, a voluntary separation agreement and release.
Secretary Emily Liles was one board member who voted against the agreement. She said it would prevent transparency, the release of the investigative report, and due process for Arredondo.
"Due process for the superintendent doesn't happen and the financial details of the settlement agreement will remain hidden from the community," Liles said last month. "This goes against everything this board has worked for and everything that I stand for."
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