The Culver City Unified School Board swore in three newly elected members, and took farewells from those departing at the meeting on Dec. 13, 2022 at the Mike Balkman Council Chambers at City Hall. The meeting was well attended, and all the usual business of citizenship awards to students, Superintendent reports and student representative reports took the first part of the evening before the swearing-in ceremony.
Dr. Steve Levin, who was present by phone and ran the meeting remotely, noted that he had already made his final speech at the previous meeting a month ago, and so was offering the last remarks to Ms. Summer McBride, the other board member who was finishing her term that evening.
Because of the earlier departure of Dr. Tashon McKeithan, who had not been replaced by an appointee, the board was filling three seats with the newly elected members; Triston Ezidore, Stephanie Loredo, and Brian Guerrero.
Several speakers came to the podium and spoke remotely (the meeting was a hybrid, also on Zoom) thanking Dr. Levin and Ms. McBride for their time and service. Levin had been on the board for ten years, and McBride for seven.
The amount of effort and energy needed to serve the office was part of McBride’s farewell speech, where she noted that, as a mother of five, “I’ve missed birthdays, a few anniversaries … but I have never missed a board meeting. I’ve centered students and employees in every action, and I’ve never let politics get in the way of the real needs of the district.”
Newly elected Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager was on hand to swear in Triston Ezidore, a candidate she endorsed early in the race. Superintendent Quoc Tran administered the oath to Stephanie Loredo, who was excited enough to have to repeat a few lines of her oath where she had inadvertently dropped a word. Brian Guerrero took the unique distinction of pledging his oath of office twice – once in English and then in Spanish.
The board being seated, positions were nominated and voted on, with Paula Amazola affirmed as President, Dr. Kelly Kent as Vice President, Ezidore as Clerk, and Loredo as Parlimentarian. Gurrero was initially put forth by Kent as a nominee for Clerk, but he declined.
The CCUSD School Board serves for terms of four years, but unlike the city council, there are no term limits, and members can re-run for office as often as they want.
Judith Martin-Straw
Photo – Stephanie Loredo takes oath of office
Photo Credit – Karim Sahli
