Cedar Hill ISD trustees unanimously hire Dr. Maria Gamel as superintendent

The Cedar Hill ISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to hire the lone finalist, Dr. Maria Gamel, as superintendent during a board meeting. The motion to hire was made and seconded on the record and approved without recorded opposition; the board said it will sign the superintendent's contract following the vote.

The hiring matters to the district because it installs new leadership responsible for policy and operations affecting students, families and staff. The board noted all trustees were present for the vote and described Dr. Gamel as the lone finalist for the position.

Trustees put the motion on the floor, and it was seconded. The board president announced the motion and, when asked, summarized: "it's been moved and seconded that the board of trustees hires the lone finalist for the position of superintendent, Dr. Maria Gamel, as the superintendent of Cedar Hill ISD." When the board voted, the president said the result was unanimous. The board indicated it will proceed to sign the contract.

Dr. Maria Gamel addressed the board and audience after the vote. "I really am honored to be here today. I'm humbled to accept this assignment to serve the children and the families of Cedar Hill ISD, to empower the staff to focus on kids and do what's best for kids," she said. She thanked family members and mentors in the audience and said she will serve "with diligence and honesty and transparency."

The board announced plans to host a community reception for Dr. Gamel next month. Board members also said Dr. Gamel will take a vacation immediately before beginning her duties; no official start date or contract terms were stated on the record. The board asked for the contract to be signed after the vote; the transcript records a request to move to "signing the contract."

No formal vote tally with individual trustee names was recorded in the public transcript provided; the board characterized the vote as unanimous and stated that all trustees were present. Other individuals identified in the meeting included Courtney Hanson (legal counsel) and "Miss Mead" (identified by the superintendent-designate as an HR representative in the audience).