Manhattan Beach Unified School Board Members Take Oath of Office

Outgoing Board member Jennifer Cochran and Board President Sally Peel. Photo by Manhattan Beach Unified

by Hibah Samad
Public Information Officer
MBUSD

The Manhattan Beach Board of Trustees said their farewells to two Board members at the Annual Organization Meeting on Wednesday, December 14. Long-time Board member Jennifer Cochran completed her term after nine years along with Board President Sally Peel who served the Board for four years.

It was an emotional evening in the Boardroom filled with energy as community members, friends, and colleagues took turns at the podium expressing appreciation and commending them for their leadership. Cochran was recognized by many for her institutional knowledge and history of the District and for being a champion for the community. Sally was thanked for her empathy and kindness during her term.

Board members and Superintendent Bowes on the dais had the opportunity to thank Cochran and Peel for their steadfast commitment to MBUSD sharing the impact they made on each of them. Both departing Board members had time to reflect and talk about their journey. Jen Cochran said she never expected this time to be so emotional and appreciated past Board members and current ones for their ongoing support.

“The thing that I reflected on the most is that I appreciate learning. I appreciate learning with every single one of you in this room. For the last two decades volunteering in our schools I feel like I have continuously been learning,” Jen Cochran said.

Board President Sally Peel shared how grateful she was for the kind words from her colleagues and community members. Peel said she is tremendously proud of the work the Board of Trustees have done together and is confident in the future as the incoming Board is “powerful.” “I love our District, I love every school in our District, I love our administrators, students, and families. We have the greatest people at our schools,” Peel said. She got emotional as she addressed the current Board about the importance of continuing to invite the voices that don’t always get heard to be part of the conversation.

MBUSD Superintendent, Dr. John Bowes, and Board President Cathey Graves thank outgoing MBUSD members with awards and flowers.

Outgoing Board President Sally Peel administered the Oath of Office to new Board members Wysh Weinstein and Tina Shivpuri, and incumbent Board member Jen Fenton was also sworn in for a new four-year term. “MBUSD is an amazing district in a remarkable community! I am so honored to continue in this role and look forward to building upon the work of the previous Board,” Board member Jen Fenton said.

Outgoing Board President Sally Peel administers Oath of Office to Wysh Weinstein, Jen Fenton, and Tina Shivpuri. Photo by Manhattan Beach Unified

After the swearing-in ceremony, cheers were heard loud in the Boardroom and after a brief reception, the new Board took their seats to start the Regular Board meeting and joined familiar faces on the dais. During the reorganization, Vice President Cathey Graves was elected to serve as Board President for the next twelve months. Board member Jen Fenton was appointed as Vice President, and Trustee Wysh Weinstein was elected as Board Clerk.

“I am honored and humbled by this opportunity. I am looking forward to listening and also prioritizing what is best for our students. I believe my experiences as a classroom teacher and parent leader will serve me well as I make informed decisions. All of the work I have done has led me to this. I’m thrilled to get to work!” Board member Wysh Weinstein said.

“It’s an honor to have this opportunity to serve MBUSD in this capacity. I have high expectations of myself. I will continuously work to serve all in the MBUSD community for the betterment of our schools, students, employees, and families. I am extremely proud to join the existing board,” Board member Tina Shivpuri said.

Trustees Fenton, Shivpuri, and Weinstein will serve four-year terms. Board President Cathey Graves and Trustee Jason Boxer are mid-way through their four-year terms. You can learn more about the Trustees here.

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