By ARABELLA SERRATA
Special to the PRESS
Derry Elementary recently hired Jose Vela as Principal. The decision was finalized in a recent district meeting.
Vela has been in education for 25 years. He began as a bilingual teacher in Donna. He then became an instructional facilitator and later a principal. He went to Santa Maria and Progresso as an administrator. At Derry, he was the Dean of Instruction.
Vela decided to pursue the position after Myrna Ramirez, the previous principal, decided to take a step back. He went through three interviews with lead teachers at Derry, Superintendent Teresa Capistran and various members of the board of directors.
“There’s so many talented administrators out there, I didn’t know how it would go,” said Vela.
He hoped his prior experience would help him in the running but felt there were plenty of worthy candidates. Vela said he was prepared to remain the dean, something he still looked forward to.
“I thought ‘Hey, even if I don’t get this principalship, I’m still a dean and working with a great group of educators and staff,’” said Vela.
He particularly enjoys the working atmosphere at the school and how “helpful” it is.
“As a principal, first and foremost, I want to ensure the safety of the students,” said Vela.
According to Vela, he also wants to make sure the school has “high academic standards” and that the students can flourish in academic rigor, as well as give the teachers the resources they need to help students achieve their goals.
Vela has also put extensive pressure on himself to be the best principal he could be because of the faith the school has put in him.
“We’re a community, and we all want to be proud of our school. I think working together, we can accomplish great things for our campus,” said Vela.
Derry Elementary is a school within the Port Isabel Independent School District [PIISD]. PIISD is dedicated to providing a “safe, rigorous, and innovative educational experience for all students.” For updates on the district, follow their official Facebook page.
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