The Canutillo Independent School District announced the appointment of three key personnel during its regular Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday.
Trustees approved the appointment of Jesica Arellano as the Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Cristina Pulley as the Executive Director of Finance and Esteban Alvarez as the Principal of Canutillo Elementary School. The appointments are effective July 1.
“Canutillo ISD is the Best Small School District in Texas and I am proud to welcome these three professionals to their new roles,” said Superintendent Dr. Pedro Galaviz. “These amazing educators and public servants will continue the tradition of bringing exceptional services to the
children and families of the District. I look forward to working besides them to continue bringing high-quality academics to the students of our district.”
Arellano will oversee the District’s academic teams and provide leadership in all teaching and learning initiatives. She currently serves as principal of Northwest Early College High School and has previously served as principal at Garcia Elementary School. A former manufacturing engineer, she began her career in education as a teacher in both Canutillo and Fabens before becoming an instructional coach, instructional coordinator and assistant principal at several campuses in CISD. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering from The University of Texas at El Paso, and is currently finishing her doctorate in education from Texas A&M University.
Pulley will oversee the finance department and several other operational functions in the District. She currently serves as the Director of Finance in CISD. Prior to arriving in Canutillo, Pulley served as a staff accountant and financial analyst in the El Paso Independent School District, as well as an accountant and controller at several private companies. A
Certified Public Accountant, she has a bachelor’s of business administration in accounting from UTEP.
Alvarez comes to Canutillo from the Socorro Independent School District, where he serves as assistant principal at H.D. Hilley Elementary School. Previously, Alvarez taught science at Americas High School and Paso Del Norte School. A U.S. Army veteran who reached the rank of sergeant, Alvarez has a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry and a master’s degree in educational administration, both from UTEP.
Additionally, Canutillo ISD on Tuesday also announced the appointment of three new assistant principals: Natalie Mendoza-Spalloni at Alderete Middle School, Janeth Plaza at Damian Elementary School, and Candice Maruffo at Canutillo High School.