Clark County School Board trustees select a new president

Clark County School Board trustees connected Wednesday selected Irene Cepeda to service arsenic the adjacent president of the assemblage that oversees the fifth-largest nationalist schoolhouse district.

Cepeda, who was antecedently the board’s vice president, was named to service a one-year word by a 4-3 ballot during a Wednesday enactment session.

The 3 trustees successful absorption wanted to spot Trustee Danielle Ford successful the role. Evelyn Garcia Morales was besides nominated arsenic president, but declined.

On Wednesday, trustees selected Garcia Morales — who was antecedently clerk for a twelvemonth — successful a 5-2 ballot arsenic committee vice president. And Lola Brooks, who antecedently served 2 years arsenic committee president, was named clerk successful a 4-3 vote.

Outgoing Board President Linda Cavazos said she would diminution immoderate nominations, noting she didn’t privation to tally for a 2nd consecutive term.

Prior to the vote, Cepeda, who was elected to the committee successful November 2018 and who nominated herself, said: “I deliberation arsenic an individual, my different precedence is to bring folks together. I deliberation it’s been a truly achy mates of years.”

She said she wants to get to a spot wherever “we tin enactment things out” and perspectives tin beryllium brought up “in a mode that isn’t disrespectful for anyone.”

Cepeda said she besides recognizes erstwhile she makes mistakes and volition beryllium consenting to admit them.

One of her priorities arsenic president volition beryllium “a strict pursuing of our policies,” she said, noting that if a argumentation isn’t functioning, the committee tin ever spell backmost and reappraisal it, and marque modifications.

In a connection aft the vote, she said: “The past 2 years person been challenging for our staff, students, and their families arsenic we person navigated the acquisition scenery during the pandemic.

“Embarking connected this caller section arsenic committee president, 1 of my archetypal responsibilities volition beryllium looking astatine ways to heal the divisions wrong the board. In bid to supply the assemblage and Superintendent (Jesus) Jara our enactment and dedication, the committee indispensable absorption connected pupil outcomes by closing learning gaps and improving show arsenic we enactment the actionable goals laid retired successful the Focus: 2024 Strategic Plan.”

In precocious October, Cepeda was the plaything ballot successful a divided committee that decided successful favor of terminating Superintendent Jesus Jara’s employment contract. Morales and Brooks some were opposed.

But successful mid-November, Cepeda switched sides and decided to rescind Jara’s termination, keeping him connected the job.

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener astatine jgreener@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton connected Twitter.