At Gonzales Unified School District, a superintendent is out and a new board member is in.

When Araceli Flores, a parent of two kids at Gonzales Unified School District’s La Gloria Elementary School, first began attending school board meetings in June 2017, there were less than half-dozen parents who attended. For Flores, that lack of attendance was a cause for concern, especially given recent turnover of principals and staff. “There was practically no one attending these meetings,” say Flores. “If they did speak, they’d leave after public comment.”

La Gloria Elementary had two principals in the 2017-18 school year alone. In the time former superintendent Liz Modena held her position, at least 14 teachers were fired. GUSD parents and current teachers say that many of those who were fired were effective educators and were fired for no legitimate reason.

Like many parents tired of the inconsistency, Flores began to organize. Starting last November, parents began meeting with each other and with their kids’ teachers. By January of this year, 100 to 200 parents began showing up to board meetings to voice their dissatisfaction. And in February, parents submitted 1,003 letters of no confidence in Modena. In a closed-door meeting on April 11, she was ousted from her position on a 4-0 vote.

Though Modena’s stepping down was the outcome many parents wanted to see, Flores says there are more steps to take: “Trust needs to be rebuilt.”

Currently, the district has no interim superintendent. Flores was appointed to a vacant board seat on April 23. The term ends this November, and Flores plans to seek re-election; it’s one of three seats that will go to voters this fall. She expects more of a shakeup, noting that even with Modena out, parents are asking for a “clean slate.”