The Sulphur Springs Union School District chose a new board president for the 2021 year during the district’s organizational board meeting Dec. 16.

The board elected Ken Chase to serve as president for the second time in his seven-year history with the board. He previously served as president in 2018 and has been involved with the district since 2004 by serving on school site councils and various committees.

“(My) focus is to provide the best education to our students with the current COVID restrictions in place and to focus on further opening up the schools to better serve our students while keeping the students, staff, families and the community safe,” said Chase. “The district needs to continue to remain fiscally responsible with the budget cuts brought on by the state due to COVID. We also have construction projects going on at Pinetree and Sulphur Springs (community schools). I am looking forward to their completion in a timely manner and within budget.”

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk canceled the elections for SSUSD in August after three candidates ran unopposed.

Shelley Weinstein, previous president of the board, will represent Trustee Area No. 1, Denis DeFigueiredo for Trustee Area No. 2, and Paola Jellings for Trustee Area No. 3.

During the meeting, the board also elected DeFigueiredo as clerk. Weinstein will represent SSUSD for the L.A. County School Trustees Association and the L.A. County Committee on School District Organization.

Jellings was elected to represent the Special Education Local Plan Area (SLEPA) Board Liaison and Chase to represent the CLASS Education Foundation, which aims to provide financial and community resources to support SSUSD students.