Thirteen applicants were approved and will be interviewed on Dec. 7

PASO ROBLES — The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District (PRJUSD) met on Monday, Nov. 29, for a special meeting to approve minimum qualifications and questions for provisional appointment applicants.

Additionally, the board approved to have a student representative on the Board of Trustees. 

Paso Robles High School (PRHS) Senior, Cameron LeClair with the help of students and teachers, collected over 500 signatures to present his request to have a student representative on the Board of Trustees. The petition was part of Leclair’s senior government class project and aligned with ED Code 35012.

It has been approximately 15 years since PRJUSD has had a student representative. PRHS ASB President, Malia Gaviola, will represent the student body during board meetings.

LeClair states, “This will be a positive step forward for student voices to be heard.”

Gaviola is excited to be the student representative and is encouraged by the action and vote of the Board of Trustees. She states, “I will work incredibly hard to represent the voices of students in the key decisions of the district.” 

Student representatives are not present for closed session items and do not have any voting rights on board decisions but can be a voice for the students.

PRJUSD Superintendent Dr. Curt Dubost said, “I want you to know how much we appreciate you guys doing this. I think it’s fantastic that we have students at the high school who are pursuing reforms and pursuing what’s best for the district in responsible ways that go through appropriate channels.”

Student Representative Malia Gaviola will be officially sworn in on Dec. 14.

The Board of Trustees went on to confirm the minimum qualifications of 13 applicants for a provisional appointment of Trustee to fill the seat for one year of the resigned board member Jim Reed.

Twelve questions were also approved. Applicants will choose six of those questions to answer during group interviews on Dec. 7. 

Applications have been received by:

  • Mr. Thomas Blaine Baker
  • Mr. Jim Cogan
  • Mr. Kenneth E. Enney, Jr.
  • Mr. Seth N. Fidalgo
  • Mr. Robert W. Foster
  • Ms. Adelita Hiteshew
  • Ms. Kim Lachance
  • Ms. Cristina Mathers
  • Ms. Claire Ida McClure
  • Mr. Christopher J. Prieto
  • Mr. Rex Thornhill
  • Mr. W. Frank Triggs
  • Ms. Caitlin J. Vierra

Their applications are public and available to view on the board meeting agenda here: agendaonline.net/public/Meeting.aspx?AgencyID=221&MeetingID=85456&AgencyTypeID=1&IsArchived=False

The twelve questions were approved and made public in a press release issued by PRJUSD. 

The group interviews will be held in the morning (9 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and the afternoon (12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.) at an open meeting at the PRJUSD Board Room at 800 Niblick Road, in Paso Robles. 

All Board meetings are broadcast on YouTube and can be found here: youtube.com/watch?v=Wk1V2eYGta8&t=4246s