While larger elections may garner more public attention, rural
school board races are just as important to the close-knit group of
people up for board positions and living in the districts.
Hollister – While larger elections may garner more public attention, rural school board races are just as important to the close-knit group of people up for board positions and living in the districts.
“The school is the center of the community (in rural areas),” said San Benito County Superintendent Tim Foley. “It’s a very important community asset.”
Rural schools including Cienega, Bitterwater/Tully, Tres Pinos, Panoche and Willow Grove will be welcoming back many incumbents and a couple new faces to their boards.
Every school board struggles with tight budgets, and a main focus of board members is “figuring out how to stretch the bucks,” Foley said.
Some of the small districts, many of which are one-room school houses with less than 30 students, have problems securing enough board members to fill the seats, Foley said.
Every year some of the districts have vacant seats that are filled by appointed members because not enough people run for the seats, Foley said.
“Some (districts) go for years without vacancies, and others have more turnover,” he said.
Willow Grove Union is the only district that has a vacancy, but Foley said there shouldn’t be a problem appointing someone to the position within the next few weeks.
In a previous article published in the Free Lance about the four candidates running for three seats on the North County Joint Union board, incumbent Michael Castello was unavailable for comment.
In an interview Wednesday he said he’s running for re-election because of his passion to help provide the best education possible for the students of Spring Grove School.
While all his children have already graduated from Spring Grove, the youngest one graduating last year, he hopes to give other children the same opportunities his children had while attending the school, he said.
“I hope people vote for me based on the fact that the last four years I’ve done everything in my power to provide a safe environment for the children to learn,” Castello said. “I’ve helped in providing them everything they need to go on to being (first) class students once they leave us.”
Castello, an apricot and walnut farmer, said the most important issue facing Spring Grove is the modernization project the board has been working on for the past five years.
Castello’s focus if re-elected will be making sure the finances are available to see the project through, which will include 14 new buildings and upgraded computer equipment with a budget of about $2.5 million, he said.
One of the biggest accomplishments Castello and the board achieved over the past several years has been keeping a stable teaching staff, he said.
“I’m hoping it’s a reflection of the board and the entire community – the board, staff and parents,” Castello said. “We have a wonderful group of people.”
JoAnne Falsey, who is running for re-election of the Jefferson School District was also unavailable for comment in a previous article published in the Free Lance. She said Wednesday her focal point if re-elected would be securing more funding for the school by writing grants and exploring other avenues for generating revenue.
Falsey, who is a cattle rancher and had a daughter graduate from Jefferson, said she’s been reliable and dependable and does whatever she can to help the school.
“I find (the school) to be a very important part of our community and I enjoy it,” she said. “(I’m most proud) of seeing the kids graduate and go on to four-year colleges, and knowing I was a small part in their education.”
Jon Garbini has been on the Jefferson school board for more than 10 years, and wants to continue his tenure to help the students get the best education possible, he said.
Garbini, who is a farmer and construction worker, said when he first secured a seat on the board the school was in debt and there was talk of closing it. The fact that the board, with his help, got the school out of debt and that the school is still open should “speak for itself” to voters, he said.
“I’m just doing something to help the children,” Garbini said.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or
em*******@fr***********.com
