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Left to right taking the “Oath of Office” for the Santa Paula Unified School Board are: Derek Luna, Michelle Kolbeck, Kelsey Stewart, Christina Urias and Pam Thompson |
SPUSD welcomes new board members, bids farewell to Wilson
December 16, 2016
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
The Santa Paula Unified School District Board welcomed new members, bid farewell to one of their own and selected new leadership at Wednesday’s meeting.
Held at the Glen City Auditorium, the chilly temperature did not tamper the enthusiasm of those that watched new Board Members Derek Luna and Pamela Thompson as well incumbents Michelle Kolbeck, Kelsey Stewart and Christina “Tina” Urias were sworn into office by Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Stan Mantooth.
Then it was right to work with a closed session before the board emerged to select officers for the coming year and bid farewell to Chris Wilson, who lost his bid for a third term.
In attendance was Diana Ponce-Gomez, who had declined to run for another board term and whose service was honored at the November meeting.
Kolbeck nominated Stewart, already vice president, to be Board President and she was swiftly and unanimously confirmed for the middle seat.
The first thing Stewart did was bang the gavel and bark “Order! Order!” and then said with a laugh, “I’ve wanted to do that for four years!”
Board Member Thompson nominated Urias for Vice President, which Urias seconded while Luna nominated Kolbeck, supported by Stewart.
Kolbeck became the Board Vice President on a 3-2 vote while Urias was unanimously selected Board Clerk.
Urias was also named as representative to the Ventura County Office of Education’s County Committee, a position she has held for years.
Superintendent Alfonso Gamino and Stewart offered the recognition for Wilson, noting his long list of contributions and accomplishments during two terms of board service.
Gamino said Wilson was President and Vice President of the SPUSD Board, as well as Clerk, and “served on numerous committees,” including the Santa Paula Education Foundation where he will continue to serve.
Wilson also “worked with other members on unification,” which resulted in voter approval of merging the elementary and high school districts into one K-12 entity as of July 2013.
Wilson oversaw the construction of the science and technology building, which opened in February 2015 and was involved in the creation of the Glen City School Literacy Center, opened this year and considered a model for other district elementary schools.
“He did a lot of good work for Measure P,” the successful $36-million-plus bond measure approved by voters in June, including, noted Gamino, walking neighborhoods in support of the measure.
“Chris is leaving us after nearly a decade of public service to students, parents and the community,” and said Gamino, “It’s a great pleasure recognizing and acknowledging him as a board member, community member and friend.”
What Wilson did as a board member said Stewart was “amazing, he was very active with the high school district to help the board acquire the district farm that we are very excited for students to have.
“Another passion Chris has is the Pumpkin Patch,” that Stewart noted “a couple of years ago UC Hansen Trust decided not to have,” anymore at the Faulkner Farm.
“Rotary worked tirelessly to find a new location,” and this year revived the Patch at Limoneira’s Olivelands Farm.
The event, said Stewart, “was hugely successful, Chris was there when he could to help out,” and was also on hand at the December 12 Rotary lunch meeting where proceeds from the Pumpkin Patch were distributed to nonprofit volunteers and recipients.
A Rotarian and Past Club President, Wilson was at the Monday club meeting where thousands of dollars were presented to various Santa Paula High and Isbell Middle school groups including sports, band and clubs; in addition, Stewart noted that Rotary also added funds to its own Scholarship Fund for graduating SPHS Seniors.
“That is an amazing amount of money that was raised,” and Stewart admitted although “I’m not 100 percent positive but I’m pretty sure that Mr. Wilson had something to do with that,” an example of, “keeping the children always at the forefront of your decisions.”
Wilson, who was presented with an engraved clock, said his tenure on the board “Has been a pleasure…most of the time but occasionally it was overwork when we had 60 meetings a year it was too much. But it was all for a good cause and the unification has come together nicely.”
An arborist, rancher and contractor, Wilson said he looks forward to the improvements that the bond will bring.
“I was out at East Area 1 today driving around and they are working furiously,” on the new development that will contain a K-8 school.
And Wilson said he visited the School Farm and, “It’s still waiting for the county to let the district do something!”
Overall, he noted, “It’s been a pleasure…keep up the good work!”
Kolbeck noted that Wilson worked well with a board of women that could be described as Type A analytical…and he was a peacemaker!”
“Wilson,” said Urias, “will be sorely missed by staff and the board.”
