The Pajaro Valley Unified School District board hired a new chief business officer Wednesday night, but the moment was briefly overshadowed by a tense exchange between Superintendent Heather Contreras and Trustee Joy Flynn over contract language regarding health benefits.
Pajaro Valley Unified School District
Posted inEducation
Pajaro Valley Unified faces financial future with vote on new business chief, look at unspent arts funding and budget update
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District board will vote Wednesday on a new chief business officer as it faces continued fiscal challenges. Trustees will also hear a report showing improvements in student attendance, suspensions and graduation rates across the district.
Posted inEducation
Pajaro Valley Unified School District board to explore lowering voting age for board elections to age 16
Three Pajaro Valley Unified School District trustees have formed a committee to explore lowering the voting age to 16 for school board elections, aiming to give students more say in decisions that directly affect them.
Posted inEducation
Seeking adventure, new Aptos High principal trades Alaska’s dark winters for California sun
After about five decades in Alaska, educator Lisa Lansdale has relocated to California to become the new principal of Aptos High School. As she steps into a leadership role at a school still recovering from recent turmoil, Lansdale aims to foster safety and joy.
Posted inEducation
Watsonville High School senior appointed 2025-26 PVUSD student trustee
Watsonville High School senior Desiderio Salinas-Holz has been appointed as the 2025-26 Pajaro Valley Unified School District board of education student trustee.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Letter to the editor: Gabriel Medina’s leadership undermines PVUSD’s mission
In a letter to the editor, a Santa Cruz resident takes issue with Pajaro Valley Unified School District trustee Gabriel Medina’s performance on the job.
Posted inEducation
In Pajaro Valley Unified, parents ask: How much power should police have in schools?
As students prepare to return to class, Pajaro Valley Unified School District is confronting a contentious debate over police powers in schools. Law enforcement officers argue their work prevents many students from ending up in the criminal justice system.
Posted inEducation
Parents, teachers protest decision to end Barrios Unidos mentorship program at Pajaro Valley High
Parents and teachers are urging Pajaro Valley Unified School District to reinstate a contract with Barrios Unidos, a local nonprofit that provided on-campus mentorship to Pajaro Valley High School students. While district officials cite unmet performance outcomes, supporters argue the program was vital for students facing crises and should be prioritized.
Posted inEducation
Heated Pajaro Valley school board meeting exposes deep divide over renewing contract to put police officers in schools
In a contentious meeting marked by accusations of racism and sharp divisions among members, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District governing board voted to renew contracts placing police officers in its three high schools.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Former PVUSD trustee’s contentious past prevents appointment to Watsonville planning commission
Watsonville’s city council delayed a vote on appointing former Pajaro Valley Unified School District trustee Georgia Acosta to the planning commission this week, after a councilmember raised concerns about Acosta’s tumultuous history on the school board.