Chula Vista Elementary School District Seeks Applicants for Vacated School Board Spot
By TAWNY MAYA McCRAY
March 20, 2012
The Chula Vista Elementary School District is looking desperately to appoint a new
board member.
It was announced Monday that board member Russell Coronado is resigning
from his post effective March 31, nine months before his term is up in
December. Board President Pamela Smith said Coronado, who was elected in 2008,
was leaving due to “personal reasons.”
“(Coronado) has been very dedicated and it’s been a pleasure to serve
with him,” Smith said at Monday’s meeting. “He’s brought a lot of expertise to
the board and always focused. I have never been in a conversation publicly or
in closed session with this board that isn’t always about kids, kids first, and
Russell has been very true to that. We’re going to miss him.”
The remaining trustees, minus Douglas Luffborough who was absent, voted
Monday to begin accepting applications to fill the position on the five-member
board. Coronado was also absent from Monday’s meeting.
Applications are due at the district office by noon April 11.
Applicants must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen, a resident of the
school district, a registered voter and not legally disqualified from holding
public office by state law (for bribery or perjury convictions, for example).
The board decided not to fill the vacancy through a special election
because of its estimated cost of $770,000 to $800,000. Trustees plan to
interview the applicants and appoint the new member at a special board meeting
April 23. The chosen candidate will serve the remainder of Coronado’s term.
This will be the third time since 2007 that the board has decided to
appoint a new member. Trustee David Bejarano was chosen out of a pool of 39
candidates in 2007 after Cheryl Cox stepped down following her election as
mayor of Chula Vista. Luffborough was selected out of 23 applicants in 2009
after Bertha Lopez resigned to serve on the Sweetwater Union High School District
board.
“We have been through this process before and it’s been a good one and
has resulted in some outstanding board members,” Smith said at Monday’s
meeting. “I think it is a very inclusive process and we take the process very
seriously. We look forward to hearing from our community and seeing who’s
interested in this.”
Applications are available at the superintendent’s office, 84 E. J St.
or on the district’s website at cvesd.org. Eligible community members must
submit a letter of intent, the completed application, and two letters of
recommendation to Soreli Norton, assistant to the superintendent and the board
of education.
BACKGROUND
Head of CV school board to move temporarily
Russell Coronado, president since last year, is tending to a family
member, officials say...
Ashly McGlone
Aug. 30, 2010
The board president of Chula Vista Elementary School District has
temporarily moved to the North County to care for an ill family member,
officials said Monday.
“I have a commitment to the students and people of Chula Vista, but at
this time I also need to provide care and support to my family members,”
Russell Coronado said. “At an appropriate time, we will make a decision about
my position on the board.”
Further details were not disclosed.
Coronado was named school board president in December 2009 after being
elected the previous year.
When asked whether there is a threshold for how long a board member may
live outside of the school system's boundaries, district spokesman Anthony
Millican said officials were looking into it.
Millican said the district’s day-to-day operations will be unaffected.
Originally Posted by Maura Larkins at 2:39 PM
CVESD Reporter
Labels: . Coronado, Chula Vista Elementary School
District, CVESD, board members