The Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Education voted to appoint Alena Callimanis to the vacant Trustee Area 2 seat at its Thursday meeting.
Callimanis is currently a volunteer and regional coordinator for local nonprofit Read With Me, which focuses on improving literacy rates in Coachella Valley elementary schools.
“I just love it,” Callimanis said of her work at the board’s August 12 special meeting. “I have such a passion for our mission, because we are really affecting the literacy of the students in the elementary schools.”
During her interview, she said the dedication of the teachers and the quality of leadership were key strengths of the district.
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“The district has great leadership, both from the board and from [Superintendent Frances Esparza],” she said. “We’re going to overcome any deficits, and the kids, the students, will always be prioritized.”
The district first announced the vacancy earlier this summer following the departure of former Trustee Sylvia Paz, who said she was stepping down to “begin a long-planned sabbatical.” The board last month voted to fill the seat through appointment.
The board voted to appoint Callimanis after a failed motion to appoint Antonio Aguilar, one of the other two candidates interviewed for the position. Callimanis will serve on the board through November 2026.
Her appointment comes amid a financial crisis at the district that has resulted in deep cuts forcing the district to lay off dozens of employees.
On Friday, the district announced that it was in negotiation with the California School Employees Association (CSEA) concerning the transfer of work after the union filed a labor charge against the district with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB).
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