Cifuentes takes office, Anderson leaves seat open on Oklahoma City Board of Education
Apr 16, 2024 | 11:00 am ET
Description
Jessica Cifuentes takes the oath of office from board clerk Craig Cates for the District 3 seat on the Oklahoma City Board of Education on Monday at the Clara Luper Center for Educational Services. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)
OKLAHOMA CITY — A new school board member took office while another left a seat vacant in Oklahoma City Public Schools on Monday.
New District 3 member Jessica Cifuentes took the oath of office for the Oklahoma City Board of Education the same evening the board accepted the resignation of Adrian Anderson from the District 5 seat.
The board has 60 days to appoint another District 5 resident to finish the final two years of Anderson’s term. Candidates for the appointment can apply.
The board recognized Anderson and former District 3 representative Cary Pirrong, whom Cifuentes defeated in the April 2 school board election.
Anderson is relinquishing the seat because he is moving out of District 5, which covers most of northeast Oklahoma City and Spencer, the district reported. He was elected in April 2022.
He dedicated much of his remarks Monday evening to commending the employees and district leaders who provide an education to OKCPS students, particularly at the nine schools in District 5.
“I really appreciate getting the opportunity, getting the pleasure to serve and just advocate and be the voice for you all,” Anderson said. “Hopefully I did a good job on that.”
After attending ASTEC Charter Schools, Cifuentes graduated in 2020 from Emory University with a degree in engineering sciences. She works as an assistant at the law firm of Sen. Michael Brooks Jimenez, D-Oklahoma City.
Cifuentes won the seat representing the west end of the school district 66.6% to 33.4% over Pirrong.
Her first meeting was a 4 1/2-hour marathon with significant votes on a $500 million lease-purchase financing agreement to expedite bond construction projects and site plans for a new Capitol Hill High School building.
“It seems to be the more I learn, the more questions I have about this,” she said of the financing deal during the meeting.
She took office shortly before the school board begins interviews this month for superintendent candidates to succeed Sean McDaniel, whose last day at the district is June 30.
McDaniel wasn’t present at Monday’s meeting. He has said he is resigning over tensions with an unnamed school board member.
Oklahoma City, OK
