After being appointed to another term on the Escalon Unified School District Board of Trustees in lieu of being on the ballot this past November, Martha Coelho has now resigned from the position.
She was one of two board members who were not challenged in November and did not have to be on the ballot. Nick Caton also was unopposed.
Coelho submitted her resignation at the last school board meeting, with it taking effect on Wednesday, Jan. 13.
That has created a vacancy in Trustee Area 4, Dent Rural, and EUSD Superintendent Ron Costa said they are actively seeking applicants for the post.
Those interested in running must live in the District 4 area, must be at least 18 years old and a citizen of California, as well as a registered voter. Applications are available on the district website, escalonusd.org and can also be picked up at the district office at 1520 Yosemite.
Applications must be returned by Friday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m.
The board will review the applicants and then schedule interviews, said Costa, looking to appoint someone to fill the term until the next board election, scheduled in November, 2022. Coelho had served eight years on the board, including one two-year term as president.
Currently the school board includes: President John Largent, Dent Urban, Trustee Area 5; Vice President Nick Caton, Van Allen, Trustee Area 3; Clerk Kate Powell, Farmington, Trustee Area 2; Richard Thompson, Collegeville, Trustee Area 1; and student board representative, EHS senior Ella MacKinnon.
Meanwhile, the school board also at their last meeting approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the Escalon Unified Teachers Association to begin offering Credit Recovery Classes for students in need. Costa said the teachers, who will receive a stipend for teaching the extra classes, have agreed to two sessions of eight-weeks each. Participation by teachers is optional and the goal is to provide an opportunity for students struggling academically to recover lost credits. The first session of after school classes at the high school will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 26 and students can take one class in the first eight-week session and another in the second session, potentially earning back 10 credits.
“In essence, it is a summer school after school,” Costa said, noting that Escalon, like many districts, has seen students struggle due to the ongoing pandemic, distance learning and hybrid schedules.
“We had no problem getting enough teachers,” the superintendent added.