Following last month’s election, the La Cañada Unified School District Governing Board on Tuesday welcomed Joe Radabaugh, welcomed the return of Dan Jeffries and Kaitzer Puglia and bid farewell to David Sagal, who opted not to run again and finished his first and only four-year term.
Superintendent Wendy Sinnette thanked Sagal, a Warner Bros. executive and music arts proponent, for efforts that included serving as board president during a contentious and ultimately successful contract negotiation with teachers in 2016. She also announced that he and his wife, McNally, will receive the district’s distinguished Golden Apple Award later this year in recognition for their service.
She noted Sagal’s “quick wit, his intellect and his clear-eyed decision-making” and told him that “amidst a constant sea change in the educational system, you have steered a strong course, always guided by what is in the best interest of students.”
Sagal said Sinnette and her administration, as well as his colleagues on the board, are positive role models for students.
“Our society is pretty divided right now,” he said. “More so than at any time I can remember, this divisiveness has fostered an environment characterized by lack of civility, mutual respect, empathy and compassion.
“At the very heart of our government, we see systematic name-calling, bullying and childish behavior that would never be tolerated at any of our LCUSD campuses, with the women and men in our administration and on this board setting the example for our students, there is no doubt in my mind that our students will reject callousness and indifference and will instead embrace compassion, civility empathy and mutual respect.”
In the annual board reorganization, Puglia was elected by her colleagues as the next board president, Brent Kuszyk will serve as vice president and Radabaugh was tabbed as clerk.
MEASURE LCF
LCUSD will host a special workshop from 6-8 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 29, to discuss how best to proceed with the $149 million Measure LCF bond funding, which was approved with 71% of the vote.
“Now it’s real,” Radabaugh said.
“And we have a lot of work to do,” Jeffries said.
That includes the establishment of a citizens’ bond oversight committee, financial planning, meetings with rating agencies, prioritization of campus projects and other efforts to identify “the best next steps so we don’t waste funds,” as Chief Business Officer Mark Evans said.
