Weekly Superintendent's Update 11.6.26

Dear Sierra Unified Community, 

This has been a big week for Sierra Unified School District, and an important one as we look toward the future of our district and the leadership that will help guide it. This year, three seats on the Sierra Unified Governing Board were up for election. Two of our current trustees, Wes Qualls and Ginger Cardoza, determined that this would be their final term and elected not to seek reelection. We are incredibly grateful for their leadership, dedication, and commitment to our students, staff, and community. Serving on a school board is an important responsibility, and their time and service to Sierra Unified deserve our sincere appreciation.

Connie Schlaefer sought another term, and with no opposition, will continue serving on the Governing Board. With two additional seats open, we are pleased that Jake Wright and Nicole Hamilton-McManus answered the call to serve and step into these important leadership roles. Because there were exactly three candidates for the three available seats, all three candidates ran unopposed and were seated without the need for a contested election. Jake and Nicole will officially take office and be sworn in at our December Governing Board meeting. We are excited to welcome Jake and Nicole to the governance team.

School board service is about more than attending meetings and making decisions. It is about setting a vision for the future, providing thoughtful oversight, asking important questions, and ensuring that every decision keeps students at the center. We appreciate their willingness to step forward and serve our community.

It was also a big week for Sierra Unified athletics! We are incredibly proud of our girls' volleyball team, who finished their season as co-league champions. While their playoff run came to an end with a 3-1 loss to Immanuel in the semifinals, their accomplishments throughout the season are something to celebrate. Congratulations to our athletes and coaches on an outstanding season and the hard work that brought them this far.

The playoffs are still underway for our water polo and football teams as I write this, and we wish both programs the very best as they continue competing. We are proud of the dedication, teamwork, and Mountain Strong spirit these student-athletes bring to their seasons.

I also want to give a special shout-out to our junior high school for putting on an amazing haunted house for the community! For its inaugural year, this event was truly impressive. Thank you to everyone who put in the time and creativity to make it happen. We appreciate the opportunity to bring our community together, and we can't wait to see what you have in store for next year!

Measure U Facilities Update

We are excited to share that abatement and demolition have begun on our first set of classrooms as we move into the next phase of Measure U modernization. This is an important step toward transforming these spaces into updated, modern learning environments for our students and staff.

A big thank-you to our students and staff for their flexibility, patience, and continued attention to safety as construction activities get underway. Projects of this size require adjustments to our daily routines, and we appreciate everyone doing their part to keep our campus safe while this important work moves forward. We are looking forward to completing these first classrooms and unveiling the modernized learning spaces. It is exciting to see the investments our community made through Measure U beginning to take shape in ways that will directly benefit generations of Sierra Unified students.

As we recognize the contributions of our outgoing trustees, welcome new members, celebrate our students and programs, and continue making progress on our facilities, we are reminded of what makes Sierra Unified special. Our strength comes from the people who show up, step forward, and work together for our students. Thank you for continuing to be part of what makes Sierra Unified such a special place.

Mountain Strong!

With Gratitude,
Dr. Lori Grace, Superintendent