Hollister
– The Hollister School District Board appointed three new
Trustees last night to fill seats vacated by incumbents.
”
Any time new people join the board, they bring something
valuable,
”
said Trustee Alice Flores.
Hollister – The Hollister School District Board appointed three new Trustees last night to fill seats vacated by incumbents.
“Any time new people join the board, they bring something valuable,” said Trustee Alice Flores.
Three positions on the HSD School Board were up for grabs this year, those of Trustees Flores, Dee Brown and Board President Eugenia Sanchez. Flores is the only incumbent who chose to remain on the board – Sanchez will be running for against Mayor Robert Scattini for the District 2 City Council seat this fall and Brown opted to run for a spot on the Gavilan College Board of Trustees.
Ron Hatchett and Bea Gonzales-Ramirez were the only two who pulled papers to run for a spot on the board, and so won the seats by default.
“I’ve been attending the meetings ever since I announced my candidacy, I’ve been meeting with other Trustees to learn some of the history and politics involved in the issues, I’ve joined LULAC,” said Gonzales-Ramirez. “I’m trying to learn as much as I can so I can make informed decisions by December.”
All three were appointed Tuesday night, and will officially be sworn assume their seats at the December board meeting. The two newcomers do have a lot of homework to do beforehand, however.
“I’ve been doing quite a bit of research on the budget,” said Hatchett. “I think we need to get our spending under control and start spending it on the kids.”
Both will be attending the California School Boards Association conference in San Francisco with the other Trustees, which has special information for new board members. There they will learn about basic legal issues, transportation, working with special needs students and even how to deal with the media.
“There’s a real sharp learning curve for a new Trustee,” said Flores. “Because every decision you make has to be based first and foremost on what’s best for the students, and we look at our employees, but we use that as our overarching principle.”
Among the more pressing issues Trustees will have to tackle this year include the formation of two magnet schools, which will open in 2007.
“It’s going to take a lot of work to bring those magnet schools into existence,” said Gonzales-Ramirez.
For their part, veteran Trustees said they were exciting to welcome fresh faces to the board.
“We’d like to get them acclimated quickly and do everything we can to help,” said Trustee Margie Barrios.
Danielle Smith covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected].
