Craig Holmes steps down from CV School Board
Choking back tears, Central Valley School Board member Craig Holmes resigned at the board’s regular meeting Monday night.
Holmes, 49, cited personal reasons for his sudden departure.
“I’m going to take care of my family,” Holmes said after the emotional meeting. “All good things come to an end.
“It’s time for me to move on to the next chapter of my life.”
Holmes, who serves District 2 in the southwest part of the district’s 80-square mile boundary, has served on the board for nine years.
The financial analyst and former Baptist minister won a seat on the board in 1994, at a time when the five-member board was searching for a new superintendent and getting ready to ask the community to pass a multimillion dollar bond to build state-of-the-art high schools.
“I wanted to have a part in the search for new superintendent,” Holmes said. And he got his chance, twice.
He was on the board that hired Wally Stanley, and when Stanley left in July 2003, had a hand in hiring current Superintendent Mike Pearson.
He also helped dedicate the new high schools, which were completed in 2002.
“It’s a great feeling. I know that when I walk by these buildings or read about the different programs, I’m going to know I had a part in that,” Holmes said.
Currently the board is working on a facilities concept to build two new schools to address rapid growth in the east end of the district. The plan also calls for remodeling some old buildings, and transitioning underutilized schools in the southwest part of the district for different uses.
One community of parents in Holmes’ district – parents from Chester Elementary School – are upset about the prospect of the district opening Chester’s doors to some students from University High School to help ease overcrowding. U-Hi is currently overcapacity.
“My advice to them is to believe in the process,” Holmes said. “To stand on principle, and just believe in the community and the process.”
When asked what he will miss the most about in his involvement with the school board, Holmes said, “That’s real simple, the children.”
Holmes’ last board meeting will be Jan. 10. The board will likely begin the process of accepting applications to fill the vacant seat sometime in early January, said Melanie Rose, district spokeswoman. Interested parties must live within the District 2 boundaries and be willing to serve the remainder of Holmes’ term which expires in November.