Mission hopefuls enter MCISD trustee election

With Place 7 Trustee Danny Martinez vacating his seat on the Mission CISD school board, Beto Garza and Michael De Leon vie for the coveted spot. 

BETO GARZA

Beto Garza

Garza might work in Peñitas as the city manager, but Mission is his home. And with his daughter attending MCISD at the elementary level, he is invested in the future of the district. 

“I am a product of this community. I was born and raised here in Mission, Texas. I still live here in Mission…I have a personal connection to this town, to this school district,” Garza said. “I want to serve and I think I can serve well.” 

The Place 7 candidate has a background in municipal affairs, working for the city of Peñitas for five years and in the Hidalgo County Planning Department for 20 years. Through this line of work, he learned how to connect with people from various industries, such as engineers, developers and business owners. 

As a city manager, Garza explained that he knows what it’s like to make tough decisions on behalf of a community, so he has what it takes to do the same on the school board. 

But before his career in government work, the Missionite was an assistant teacher for a Head Start program. Garza said he remembers what it was like being in the classroom, and he wants to be in a position where he can help Mission CISD educators get what they need. 

“Teachers have a tough job. And they need a good, solid board to be there and offer support,” the Place 7 candidate said. “I see what teachers go through on a daily basis and they’re the backbone of our school. They need a lot of support and a board that listens to them.” 

Garza also volunteers his time in other ways around the community. He is on the Zoning Board of Adjustments, the Accommodations Review Board and the Traffic Safety Committee in Mission. He was a 4-H Club manager and a coach for the Mission Boys & Girls Club, where he also served as a board member for about five years. 

Now, Garza wants to devote his time and energy to the school district. 

“I’ve seen what Mission CISD has done in my life — growing up in the school district, seeing my kids go through it and graduate,” he said. “And I believe that if I get the opportunity to serve on the board, I will offer a great deal of experience and knowledge.” 

MICHAEL DE LEON

Michael De Leon

Similarly, De Leon also has a child in the district at the elementary level and a vested interest in the future of Mission schools. 

Before his two older children graduated, the Place 7 candidate was involved in various booster clubs and helped develop scholarships for outgoing seniors. Additionally, he is a longtime Mission Boys & Girls Club coach. 

But now, he feels like it’s time to go bigger and help more students and the district on a larger scale. 

“I’m all about opportunities and the programs and being able to provide the students with programs to have them college, career and military ready,” De Leon said. “We want to make sure that all our kids succeed in life and that we provide that for them.”  

De Leon is an office manager who specializes in bookkeeping and accounting. But he previously worked for Mission CISD for about six years as the administrative assistant for the bilingual program. 

In that role, De Leon was part of a team that managed state and federal funding. He worked closely with campus leadership to provide resources for kids and knows how to stretch every dollar to get the most out of the funds.  

The Missionite believes that his familiarity with this kind of budgeting makes him an asset to the board.

“The district might get to a point where there might have to be cuts or they might have to see where they can save to be able to continue doing what they’re doing without affecting the education,” De Leon said. “That’s a tough situation to be in. They’ve gotta look at every avenue and exhaust every avenue, and I know what that’s like.”

De Leon spoke passionately about providing opportunities for students and making that a priority if he becomes a trustee.

“If elected, I’ll tackle every situation…and of course make decisions based on what’s going to be the betterment for the district, the students and staff,” he said. “I just like to see our kids excel and succeed.” 

Constituents will vote on Place 1, Place 6 and Place 7 for the Mission CISD Board of Trustees. 

Early voting begins April 20 and runs until April 28. Polling locations will close April 21 and April 26. Election Day is May 2.