The Nampa School Board voted unanimously Monday to select Marco Valle to fill a vacant seat on the board.
Trustees chose Valle, the former vice president of operation at the Idaho Foodbank, from a pool of three candidates that included Lonnie Dawson, a bus driver and former school board member in Washington, and Aaron Kallas, an education account manager at Bio-Rad Laboratories.
The Zone 2 seat opened on Jan. 31 when former trustee Mike Kipp resigned. Valle will serve the rest of the Kipp’s term, through December 2023.
Days after Kipp’s resignation, Paula Kellerer abruptly resigned as superintendent and trustees named assistant superintendent Gregg Russell as interim superintendent.
In a panel interview with the candidates last Monday, Valle said the district stressed sending information to the community and seeking feedback. He said school boards should represent the community, naming the Latino community and students with disabilities.
“If you want a pawn then I am not the person for you. If you want a follower then I am not the person for you. I look at things from a different perspective, one that takes into account all perspectives but chooses what is necessary to move forward and takes into account the will of our citizens,” Valle wrote in his application.
About 25% of Nampa residents are Hispanic or Latino, 2020 Census figures show.
Valle will be sworn in next month.
“It’s not a question of being conservative or Republican or Democrat when serving our kids,” said Valle, who’s also a caretaker for his disabled son. “Sometimes I speak too loud, but I am accountable.”
Two community members endorsed Valle for the position Monday, while one endorsed Dawson.
Nampa is Idaho’s third largest district and serves 13,668 students across Canyon County.
Trustees table action on leadership academy
In other business Monday, trustees unanimously voted to delay action until April on the Treasure Valley Leadership Academy, an “Innovation School” offering personalized learning where enrollment and funding has languished. Several trustees pointed out wanting to find other funding sources for the school and ways to promote it.
“I think that we have to try everything,” trustee Brook Taylor said.
