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National Urban Council Board Selects
WCSD Board Trustee to Serve On Steering Committee
WCSD Board Trustee to Serve On Steering Committee
Reno, NV (April 23, 2012) -CUBE (Council of Urban Boards of Education), an organization that is part of the National School Boards Association with a 7.5 million membership in over 100 urban school districts, chose Washoe County School District (WCSD) Board of Trustees Member Estela Gutierrez this week to represent Northern Nevada and Washoe County schools, and serve on its national steering committee.
As a long-term Sparks native and Truckee Meadow Community College's Dean of Students, Gutierrez joined WCSD Board in 2008 and served as the Board President in 2010. She represents WCSD in the eastern part of Washoe County, from Spanish Springs to Geiger Grade. As a Trustee, she believes that education is the passport to our children's future and that we must get all children to graduation.
"I was humbled to be chosen to represent Washoe County School District on CUBE's Steering Committee," said Gutierrez. "It was a very competitive selection process, but I am honored to serve with my fellow CUBE colleagues to further the mission of urban education. As we are a large urban district recognized for leadership in education reform, this appointment will be significant to help Washoe County schools continue to communicate these efforts and our accomplishments on a national level."
As a member of the Board of Trustees, Gutierrez has been instrumental in helping to shape WCSD's Strategic Plan: Envision WCSD 2015- Investing in Our Future and contributing to the increase of its graduation rates by 14%. Gutierrez said she first joined CUBE, because she wanted to learn from like-minded school districts that are equally passionate and serious about urban education reform.
"Now, more than ever, the issues of urban education cannot be overlooked," said Gutierrez. "In tough fiscal times, districts across the country need to resource share and compare notes to best help their respective districts do more with less. As our District prepares to engage in a superintendent search in the not too distant future, my representation on the CUBE board will further help us in this process."
As an advocate for higher education learning, Gutierrez said she hopes to serve as the bridge on CUBE to advocate on behalf of K-12 education and develop greater access for students in urban sectors to go to college and not be stuck in patterns of remediation.
In addition to her work in WCSD, Gutierrez has worked to promote educational reform at the state level. In November 2010, she was named to Governor Brian Sandoval's transition team comprised of various leaders around the state to help Sandoval in several areas of high priority in the state, including a subcommittee on education. Gutierrez was recognized by the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce as therecipient of the 2011 Raymond I. Smith Civic Leader of the Year award for her commitment to education and advocacy for youth in the community. She also has been an active member in the community, particularly the Hispanic community, served on numerous boards, and developed programs that benefit youth and adults.
About Washoe County School District: The Washoe County School District includes the Reno/Sparks metropolitan area, Incline Village, Gerlach, and Wadsworth, Nevada. The District provides each of its 63,000 students with a superior education in a safe and challenging environment and is committed to graduate every child career and college ready.
For more information visit: www.washoecountyschools.org. Follow us on Twitter at WCSDTweet.
About CUBE: Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) acts on behalf of the National School Boards Association (NSBA) to represent more than 100 urban school districts in 35 states and the Virgin Islands. Our member districts educate more than 7.5 million students, in over 12,000 schools, with a collective budget of approximately 99 billion dollars. CUBE helps urban school leaders find solutions to challenges at the local level and seeks to improve their policy making effectiveness. CUBE creates a forum for urban school board members to share innovative practices through issues seminars, conferences, legislative advocacy, research projects, professional networking opportunities, specialized publications, and local governance and policy assistance.
Washoe County School District
425 East Ninth Street
Reno, NV 89512
