Modesto Unified School District

Stanislaus school board ballots fill out

The Modesto City Schools board election heated up with the last-day filing of eight additional candidates, bringing the field to 11 candidates for three seats.

The extended filing period for the Nov. 8 election closed Wednesday. Races where all incumbents filed for re-election closed Friday.

Steve Grenbeaux was the only incumbent to file in the Modesto trustee race. Kim Spina opted to run for the Stanislaus County Board of Education instead, and Gary Lopez resigned in July, leaving his seat vacant.

The challengers are: Solange Altman; Brian Du Bois; Susan Chakos; Amy Elliott Neumann; Catherine Flores Hallinan; Michael Scheid; Rickey McGill; Melinda Mason; William Mussman; and Josh Vander Veen.

Others races to watch will be for school boards in Turlock, Patterson, Waterford and the Newman-Crows Landing district.

In Turlock, six contenders face off for four full-term seats. Incumbents Eileen Hamilton and Frank Lima are running; Trustees John Sims and Loren Holt are not. Andrew Johnson, Miguel A. Galvez, Harinder Grewal and Grady L. Welch are the challengers. Appointed incumbent Tami Harrill-Muniz will keep her short-term seat.

Patterson voters will choose between seven candidates for four seats. In the Newman-Crows Landing contest, seven contenders will vie for three seats. The Waterford race has five running for two seats after the withdrawal of Larry Shepherd.

The Sylvan and Stanislaus Union boards are four-way races for two seats after a Wednesday entry in each of those races.

In Sylvan, Chuck Rivera joins the field against Steve Miller, Jennifer Miyakawa and incumbent David Collins.

In the Stanislaus Union contest, Jeff McKay dropped his name in the hat with Thomas L. Freeman, Susan S. Elliott and incumbent Karin Reenstierna.

Stanislaus Union Trustee Norm Lee chose to run instead for the Stanislaus County board. He and Modesto's Spina will face off for the District 3 seat vacated by Zella Gharat. District 4 incumbent Mary Ann Sanders will keep her seat.

Linden Unified's new chief from Modesto district | Recordnet.com

The Linden Unified School District announced Friday that it has named as its new superintendent Dr. Michael Gonzales, a 30-year veteran of public schools with strong ties to San Joaquin County.

Gonzales, 56, begins July 1 and replaces the district's outgoing superintendent, Dr. Ronald Estes, who is retiring after 19 years in the job. Gonzales takes leadership of the rural school district about 15 miles east of Stockton.

Gonzales said his goal is to maintain the high standards Estes set. His predecessor has already been very welcoming, Gonzales said.

"He's been very understanding of me coming into his world," Gonzales said. "It's made the decision very easy for me."

Gonzales will earn an annual base salary of $135,000 overseeing the district of six schools and 2,500 students. He lives in Manteca and has a son and daughter, who are both grown. His daughter has two young daughters.

A Stockton native, Gonzales spent the last six years as assistant superintendent of human resources, curriculum and instruction at Empire School Union School District in Modesto.

He began teaching at Stockton's Lincoln Unified School District before making the transition to administration as a dean at Tracy's Jefferson School District. He next became an assistant principal at Tracy Unified School District.

Gonzales worked for a decade with the Ceres Unified School District, much of that time as principal at Blaker Kinser Junior High School in Ceres.

Board of Trustees President Marvin Vaccarezza said Gonzales stood out among a strong field of candidates for the appointment. He believes Gonzales will match or exceed Estes' performance.

"We are excited to have him lead our district," Vaccarezza said. "We believe Dr. Gonzales is well qualified in leading this effort.

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