After a unanimous decision by the Board of Trustees, former Alisal Elementary school teacher Mary Jo Carreon has been appointed the Board President for the year of 2024.
From Teacher to Board President
Ever since her retirement as a teacher in 2020, Carreon has served on the Board of Trustees. She is currently in the fourth year of her four-year term.
“I love teaching and I love being with students. And so when I decided to retire, I didn’t want to retire from service. I really want to give back to students, [and] I really want to give back to the community,” said Carreon.
Carreon’s experience as a teacher has shaped the way she solves issues and implements policies as the Board President.
“I really want to be a bridge between what happens inside the classroom and the decisions that we make as a board. So, I’m really cognizant when we’re making decisions how it’s gonna affect students and how it’s gonna affect teachers,” said Carreon.
At the same time, Carreon must adapt to being a Board President leading a district instead of a teacher leading one classroom.
“As a teacher, I have one focus. That was my classroom. Now my focus is the whole district. That really changes the way you know, I have to approach the task,” said Carreon.
What Carreon does as president
As one of the five Trustees on the Board, she sets policies for the school district, which are then implemented by the superintendent and his administrative team.
“The main thing that I have to do [as president] is to preside over the board meetings. I have to make sure that it runs smoothly. Then [for] the rest of the time, we’re working on policy procedures,” said Carreon.
Part of being a trustee and the Board President is attending various committees and specialized meetings to gather input from the community and to be informed on the rationale behind proposed policies.
“Any kind of big issue that comes before the board we have to get information on. Like tonight, we’re going to be voting on a new curriculum, so we usually go to curriculum meetings to talk about the rationale,” said Carreon.
Carreon will always appreciate her time as a teacher. One of her highlights as a board member is attending high school graduations and seeing how far her students have come.
“I get to see my former second graders cross that stage,” said Carreon. “It’s just so wonderful to see [that] accomplishment. They’ve gone from elementary school all the way through high school.”
