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Dear Editor,
After twelve years of service, I will be resigning from my position as elected Trustee of the Ukiah Unified School District Board of Education in the month of August. My husband has been newly hired as an employee for Ukiah Unified, and I cannot be a school board member at the same time that he begins his new employment for the school district. As it so happens, my specific seat on the school board is also up for re-election this fall. So, if your secret dream has been to serve on the Ukiah Unified School Board, it’s a great time to throw your hat in the ring. Please consider it!
If you are considering serving on the school board, here’s what you need to know.
Ukiah Unified School District Board of Education is a seven-member Board, elected by Trustee Area. The Trustee Area that I currently serve is Trustee Area 5. You need to live in Trustee Area 5 in order to file for candidacy for this seat. There is a long cumbersome legal description of the boundaries of Trustee Area 5 on the District’s website at www.uusd.net. Generally speaking, though, Trustee Area 5 includes a portion of the west side of Ukiah, south of Walnut Avenue and north of Crestwood Drive. To find out if your home is located in Trustee Area 5, check out the maps on the District’s website and/or contact the District Office at 707-472-5002. I’ll also be happy to send you a map by email.
The candidate filing date for open school board seats is July 15 through August 9. If the incumbent fails to file (I’m the incumbent for Trustee Area 5 and I will fail to file), the filing date will extend to August 14. But frankly, I’m not sure how a resignation of the incumbent is handled in election rules, so I encourage you to file before August 9. You can file by filling out easy paperwork at the County Elections Office at 501 Low Gap Road.
Although conflict-of-interest laws prohibit me from serving on the school board at the same time that my spouse is hired, you CAN be a school board member if you are married to someone who has been employed for the district for more than one year. School board trustees receive no financial compensation. Although the role is voluntary and uncompensated, trustees are able to participate in the District’s health benefits program at the same rate of contribution as other employees.
School board trustees are the only elected officials in the country with a charge to solely serve the interests of children – a constituent group who are arguably the most powerless and voiceless in our community, and also most worthy of protection and advocacy. For me, serving as a member of the school board has been an honor, a privilege, and a significant opportunity for personal and professional growth. This volunteer job is not for the faint of heart, but it is work that truly matters. Personally, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity this service has given me to learn deeply, challenge myself and my own skills, and to practice a leadership role that can be unusual, intense, and meaningful. Ukiah Unified is lucky to be led by a fantastic Superintendent, and your future Boardmember colleagues are intelligent, considerate, experienced, and welcoming. This year is an excellent time to run for the school board.
I would be delighted to share my experience, offer suggestions if you are interested in them, and answer any question you might have about the school board role. I’ve abandoned Facebook, so I’m hard to find through social media, but please don’t be shy about contacting me by email at meganvansant@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
Megan Van Sant
Ukiah Unified School Board Trustee, Trustee Area 5
