Ventura school district appoints Alicia LaVere to vacated board seat
Ventura Unified School District trustees voted unanimously Tuesday afternoon to appoint Alicia LaVere to the Area 3 seat vacated Sept. 1 by former trustee Amy Callahan.
LaVere, an occupational therapist, mother of two elementary students and Parent Teacher Association president at Loma Vista Elementary School, was sworn in immediately after the board interviewed six candidates in a closed session.
She began her tenure immediately, taking a seat on the dais for the board's regular meeting Tuesday evening.
"It's our responsibility to provide the highest quality of education," LaVere said in an interview Thursday. "I want to be the voice of families for children who fall through the cracks and are marginalized."
Sabrena Rodriguez, the board's president, said in a statement that the board was "thrilled" to welcome LaVere.
"I look forward to working with her and my colleagues to ensure we provide a high-quality, student-centered experience for all of our community’s children," she said.
Callahan won the Area 3 seat, representing a central portion of the district, in the 2020 general election. She announced at the district's Aug. 8 board meeting that she would be step down at the end of August for "personal reasons."
LaVere will serve the remainder of Callahan's four-year term, which ends Dec. 13, 2024. The seat will be up for election again in November 2024. LaVere said she "absolutely" plans to run.
"I'm planning to be around for awhile," she said. "Ventura is home, and I love it here."
LaVere served for six years in various capacities with the PTA at Loma Vista, and two years with the school's site council, according to her application for the seat. LaVere is married to Ventura County District 1 Supervisor Matt LaVere.
Isaiah Murtaugh covers education for the Ventura County Star in partnership with Report for America. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahmurtaugh and @vcsschools. You can support this work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura district appoints Alicia LaVere to vacated board seat
