The Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Education this week voted to fill a vacancy on the board by appointment. The Trustee Area 2 seat has been vacant since Sylvia Paz’s June 17 resignation.
District staff had originally suggested that the board limit the number of applicants it would interview and set out a timeline that Trustee Joey Acuña Jr. said he felt wasn’t in the best interest of the community.
“I do believe that anyone who applies should have an opportunity to interview,” he said at the July 24 special meeting. “I don’t believe that us as board members or staff should decide who gets to or who does not get to interview.”
The board ultimately settled on interviewing all eligible applicants with an application deadline of August 7, giving people 10 business days to submit their materials. The board also decided that eligible applicants will be interviewed at a special meeting set for August 12 with the selection and swearing in set for the board’s regularly scheduled August 14 meeting.
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The district announced Paz’s resignation last month in a Facebook post that said Paz left behind a “legacy of leadership, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to educational equity and student success.” She served on the board for seven years.
“During my time on the board, I’ve been proud to help advance policies that center on student wellbeing, academic achievement, and restorative justice,” a statement by Paz said. “This decision was not made lightly. There is still important work ahead, but I believe the foundation we’ve built will continue to move the district forward.”
According to the statement, Paz stepped down from her seat ahead of next year’s election to “begin a long-planned sabbatical.”
Her resignation came amid a financial crisis at the district that has resulted in deep cuts, including laying off dozens of employees.
In order to be eligible, applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be a U.S. citizen, reside within Trustee Area 2 and be registered to vote, according to a news release from the district posted on Facebook.
The application, which must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on August 7, can be found here on the district’s website.
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