Del Valle ISD Board names lone finalist for superintendent

Del Valle ISD names lone superintendent finalist

Dr. Matthew Gutierrez will take the helm of Del Valle ISD after a monthslong search for a new superintendent prompted by the retirement of Dr. Annette Tielle.

DEL VALLE, Texas - There’s a new leader at the helm at Del Valle ISD at the conclusion of a months-long search with over 40 candidates.

Dr. Matthew Gutierrez was officially selected as the lone finalist for the superintendent position. Nine board members voted unanimously Saturday to select him.

"This is a highly sought after district. There are a lot of great things that are happening for kids. State-of-the-art facilities, a community that pours a lot of support into the schools. And I knew immediately when this vacancy came open that I wanted to be part of this community," said Dr. Gutierrez.

The board will offer Dr. Gutierrez a contract after the required 21-day waiting period from the state.

Dr. Matthew Gutierrez

Dr. Gutierrez comes from just up the road, so to speak, as he is currently serving as the deputy superintendent of Leander ISD and, before then, served for six years as the superintendent for Seguin ISD, just outside San Antonio.

He says he grew up playing school with his cousins and siblings.

"I've always wanted to be a superintendent, and I know that sounds strange, but when my grandmother passed away and she kept a box of my things I had written in middle school about my goals, it was in autobiography and I had written that I was going to be a superintendent," said Dr. Gutierrez.

School board vice president Matt Worthington says the board began working to define their ideal candidate after Dr. Annette Tielle retired in March. They also reached out to the community to learn what matters most to them.

"We brought all of that together and tried to find people who were going to meet those qualifications. And we had an incredible pool of candidates who put their names in to serve in Del Valle ISD. And we were fortunate enough to have Dr. Gutierrez was one of those candidates," said Worthington.

Worthington said it was clear from the start, Dr. Gutierrez was that person.

"I think if we were to go to every single facet of how a school district works, Dr. Gutierrez has a body of work that speaks to his ability to impact that area," said Worthington.

Dr. Matthew Gutierrez, center, stands with members of the Del Valle ISD board after they voted to name him as the lone finalist for the superintendent position.

It's also a historic first for Del Valle ISD as Dr. Gutierrez will be the first Latino superintendent to serve the district.

"I truly believe it's important for students to have positive role models in their lives, role models who look like them. And so, to be able to come in and serve as that role model in our community is something that is exciting," said Dr. Gutierrez.

The district is made up of nine elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school with just under 12,000 students.

As for his first order of business in the new role:

"I'll be spending a lot of time building relationships, making connections, and getting to know the staff, the students and parents. So, first order of business is making connections," said Dr. Gutierrez.

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While at Leander ISD, Gutierrez oversaw area superintendents, 49 schools, and many educational programs, including Curriculum and Instruction, Special Programs, Advanced Academics, and Career and Technical Education pathways.

In addition to his time at Leander ISD, he was the superintendent of Seguin ISD for six years, winning Region 20 Superintendent of the Year in 2023.

While Superintendent at Seguin ISD, he developed task forces and facilitated a four-year strategic planning process. Seguin experienced double-digit growth in multiple areas of STAAR, with eight of their 11 schools increasing in TEA ratings in 2022. He also oversaw long-range planning for growth, an aggressive approach to change the public image and increased community support, as well as successfully passing two Bond packages.

He has also been assistant superintendent in Plano ISD and held executive leadership positions at Little Elm ISD in North Texas.

He holds a Bachelor's degree from Angelo State University, a Master of Education degree from Schreiner University, and a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Texas Tech University.

Dr. Gutierrez will be taking over the position from acting superintendent Brett Springston, who has served in the role since Sept. 6 after former acting superintendent Jonathan Harris announced his retirement from the district.

The superintendent search began after former superintendent Dr. Tielle announced her retirement in December 2024. However, in March, Harris was appointed acting superintendent and Tielle was named Superintendent Emeritus according to a mutually approved voluntary retirement agreement between her and the Board.