Dear Staff, 
 
I want to commend everyone for your steadfast commitment to our students and families. 
 
For the last few days, the conditions under which we have operated as a school district have been inadequate. As we have explained to the community, a combination of both human error and faulty equipment and infrastructure has led to a severe breakdown in our heating systems and created a situation that caused us to shut down schools today and tomorrow.  
 
We deeply apologize.  
 
We also recognize how far above and beyond the expectations of your usual duties you have risen. We cannot express how grateful we are to you, and most especially our teachers, principals, and school staff in our schools, for your commitment to our shared work. 
 
Apologies are not enough. When I took this job, I made a promise to lead with transparency and honesty. Today, I make the following commitments. 
 
First, as I told parents and the community, we will open schools only where the staff on campus know that classrooms are ready for learning.  
 
Second, we are working diligently to identify and address the root causes of this crisis. We are painfully aware that San Antonio ISD was the only school system in the region to experience this significant of a systems failure. We know there is more than one cause. For that reason, we will work an external investigative team to examine the event and publish a full report summarizing the reasons for this breakdown.  
 
Finally, we must admit that this was an error on the part of leaders in the district. We had a week to prepare. Our families count on us to be open, and we are obligated to be there for them. 
 
Although I have accepted the resignations of Ken Thompson, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, and Mike Eaton, Chief of Operations, I also recognize their significant contributions to our district on behalf of our students. It is crucial to acknowledge that our current situation stems from various issues – including aging infrastructure, system failures, and being underfunded by the state.  
 
In the interim, I have asked Jenny Arredondo, Senior Executive Director of Child Nutrition Services, to take charge of the Operations Division. She will receive senior executive support from Deputy Superintendent Patti Salzmann. They are already working campus by campus to determine whether schools are ready for students beginning Monday and that students, staff and families have suitable facility conditions. 
 
We have asked a great deal from you in this crisis. We will never be able to fully express our gratitude to you for your leadership, your expertise and your commitment to San Antonio ISD, its children and their families.   
 
We will do everything possible to regain your trust. 
 
In service, 
Jaime