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School Board Trustees Sworn In
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New OJUSD school board trustee Diane Gilbert, left, was sworn into office on Dec. 14 by her friend, California State Assemblyman Tom Berryhill. Board constituents Bill Dyer and Mike House were sworn in by Board of Trustees President Mike Tozzi. - photo by Dawn M. Henley/The Leader

Recently elected trustees were sworn in at the Oakdale Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees regular meeting on Dec. 14.

OJUSD Board of Trustees President Mike Tozzi swore in constituents Bill Dyer and Mike House. California State Assemblyman Tom Berryhill made an appearance at the meeting to swear in new board trustee Diane Gilbert. Berryhill said that he and Gilbert have known each other since 1996 and he also mentioned that he and his family were going to be moving to Oakdale as of this week. The three trustees will each serve a four-year term, which expires Nov. 30, 2013.

Board officers were also selected at the meeting. Tozzi will serve again as board president, Dyer will serve as board clerk, and Gilbert will serve as the board representative to the Stanislaus County Committee on School District Organization.

Superintendent Fred Rich provided an update on the status of two Fair Oaks students, brothers, who were hit by a motorist in a crosswalk before school at the Pontiac and Lee intersection. One student sustained a broken femur, has had surgery and is doing well, while the other student was released from the hospital, Rich said.

Fair Oaks Vice Principal Janet Hamby reported to the board that following the vehicle versus student pedestrians accident, several parents contacted the school expressing interest in helping children cross the streets at the four-way stop intersection and are now doing so. The heavily traversed intersection is not one that has typically had crossing guards but has seen similar, past incidents.

Of note, board trustee Pam Antinetti was absent from the meeting. She has been battling health issues. It was mentioned that she had been in the hospital for three weeks and is now out of the Intensive Care Unit, alert and responding.

A board budget workshop is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 25 to take place at the OJUSD Technology and Staff Development Center.

The next regular meeting of the OJUSD Board of Trustees will be at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 11 at the Oakdale City Council Chambers, 277 No. Second.