Representing the concerns of almost 1,000 public school governing boards in the state, the California School Boards Association is an influential and important voices for education. The leaders of the organization, President Josephine Lucey and President-elect Jesus Holguín, recently spent the day touring Moreno Valley Unified schools, talking with students and teachers as they went. “Moreno Valley Unified is becoming well-known in education circles as a district on the move,” said Lucey. “CSBA recently awarded MVUSD three Golden Bells, our highest honor, for outstanding programs and achievement. Touring the schools, it was clear to me those awards were well-deserved.” Lucey began her day visiting Canyon Springs High School, which this year won a Golden Bell for its Charter Hospice Partnership, which has trained hundreds of students interested in the health-care field to provide end-of-life companionship for patients at skilled-nursing facilities. Her tour also included a stop at Vista del Lago High School and the Introduction to Engineering class. Lucey, a mechanical engineer with decades of experience in the aerospace industry, was especially impressed as she watched students practicing computer-aided design. “It’s important for CSBA leaders to visit schools and districts to keep in touch with both the achievements of and the challenges faced by governing boards,” explained Holguin, “MVUSD is different from President Lucey’s elementary district in Cupertino, yet many of our challenges are similar, especially when it comes to teaching students academic English and ensuring adequate district funding.” Holguin said he hopes to have created a new tradition of having CSBA leaders visit each other’s school districts. “I think it helps make us a better, more cohesive advocacy team for public education,” he said.

California School Boards Association President Tours Moreno Valley Schools