CJUSD Appoints Retired Educator to Fill Vacant Board Seat

A retired educator was appointed to fill a vacant school board seat during a regular board meeting on Dec. 10 and was sworn in to the post the following Thursday. Grand Terrace resident, Joanne Thoring-Ojeda, was appointed by the Colton Joint Unified School District (CJUSD) Board to fill the seat left vacant by former board member Laura Morales, who left the post in late October after accepting a position with the League of California Cities. Up against three additional candidates for the seat, Thoring-Ojeda garnered five of the six votes placed by CJUSD board members during the Dec. 10 meeting. Board Member Randall Ceniceros placed his vote for candidate R. Lamont Dusseau. Thoring-Ojeda brings with her 41 years experience in education and service in California public schools. She spent 16 years as an elementary school administrator, two years as an assistant principal and 14 as principal, where she worked with various departments within the Fontana Unified School District and concurrently served as a member of the Ontario Montclair School District board from 1987 to 1991. "I made public education my life's work and am knowledgeable in the challenges facing us," Thoring-Ojeda told the board in her closing statement last Tuesday. "I have worked with the issues before you. I have a depth of understanding that could assist this board in leading the district to meeting these challenges. I embrace the opportunity to be a part of Colton's governance team to make the decisions that will build a bridge from our past into their futures." Thoring-Ojeda has served in various educational and community-based capacities, including having been a member of the Joe Baca Scholarship Committee, where she reviewed applications, interviewed and selected recipients over five years. She serves as the ASES Oversight Committee Chairperson, where she visits school programs, collects data and chairs all committee meetings in the Fontana Unified School District since 2012; and she is a board member with the ACSA Region and attended Legislative Action Days in Sacramento to speak with state legislators about local schools and districts. "I am passionate about providing the best possible educational experiences to all kids, to prepare them for tomorrow's workforce," she said in her application for the seat. As a former board member in a neighboring district, she said, "I know the importance of a board member's role to a district." Since 2000 she has supported many of her grandchildren who attended and still attend CJUSD schools by attending various events and PTA meetings. "I understand the roles committed adults play in the lives of students," she told the board. "Though having children and grandchildren who have been in the district was the forefront for me, it's important to remember that every student in the district is someone's child or grandchild and they're trusting us to provide what needs to be provided." Thoring-Ojeda told City News that she was looking forward to seeking out career technical education opportunities for students. "In the current economy, we need to prepare students to be successful and give them the skills to be prepared for whatever path they choose, whether that be college, vocational or trade schools, or jobs." She closed, "I am ... not ready to walk away from making a difference in the lives of kids."