Calexico Unified board appoints Fernando Arguelles as Maines Elementary principal in unanimous vote

The Calexico Unified School District board voted 5-0 to appoint Fernando Arguelles as principal of Maines Elementary, the board announced after returning to open session.

The announcement came from the meeting chair, who said, "The board voted 5-0," and recorded that the motion to appoint was made by Mr. Contreras and seconded by Mr. Vina. A district staff member said the district is "very excited and really looking forward to bringing Mr. Arguelles back home, back to Calexico Unified School District," and added that staff will be in contact with him about his start date, which was not specified in the record.

The board also approved a motion, recorded as moved by Mr. Contreras and seconded by the chair, to extend the meeting by vote of 5-0. The transcript records both "12PM" and several instances of "12AM" in subsequent brief exchanges; the minutes do not clearly resolve whether the intended extension end time was noon or midnight.

Later the chair moved to adjourn; the motion was seconded and passed 5-0, and the meeting was closed with the chair saying, "Good night, everybody." No additional details about the principal’s start date, contract terms, or related personnel matters were included in the public portions of the record.

Votes at a glance:
- Appointment of Fernando Arguelles as principal, Maines Elementary — motion by Mr. Contreras; second by Mr. Vina; vote: 5-0, outcome: approved.
- Extension of meeting — motion by Mr. Contreras; second recorded as the chair; vote: 5-0; noted end time ambiguous in the transcript (12PM vs. 12AM).
- Motion to adjourn — second recorded; vote: 5-0; outcome: approved.

The board did not provide a published start date for Arguelles at Maines Elementary during the open session. The public record here consists of the board’s announcement and brief congratulatory remarks from district staff.