You are invited to attend Board of Education meetings and take an active role in the education provided by the school district. We appreciate your interest and participation. Your viewpoint is important in keeping our public schools responsive to the needs of the community. We also encourage you to visit any one of the Newark Unified School District schools.
Your Board and How It Functions
Five Newark citizens are elected to serve overlapping terms. They are elected at-large by the registered voters in Newark. The Board functions as the legislative body of the school district and establishes policies by which the school district is operated. Programs and policies are governed according to laws and regulations as set by the Constitution of the State of California, State Education Code and California Administrative Code, Title 5. Board members can be contacted via e-mail or mail addressed to them c/o NUSD, 5715 Musick Ave., Newark, CA 94560.
Board Meetings, Agendas and Minutes (BoardDocs)
Board Agendas and Minutes are now accessible via BoardDocs.
Here’s a quick link: BoardDocs
District Policies
Newark Unified School District’s Board Policies are now hosted on Board Docs.
Click on this link to be directed to –> BoardDocs.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE: The Board Policies and Administrative Regulations of the Newark Unified School District are available via Board Docs.
To locate a policy or procedure concerning a specific item, click on the POLICY tab, type the name of the item in the search box. A list of all items containing the name will be displayed. Click on the item to see the complete context.
Supporting Documents
Regular Board agendas are posted for inspection at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting at the District Office, 5715 Musick Ave, Newark. The public may also inspect non-confidential documents distributed to the Board less than 72 hours before the meeting at this same location or on the District Website at https://www.newarkunified.org/ and select Board Agendas/Minutes
Supplemental Documents
Supplemental documents made available during public meetings can be found on the BoardDocs Pro site under Library/General/Supplemental Documents.
Governance Handbook
The handbook reflects the governance team’s work on the creation of an effective framework for successful leadership and governance. This involves an ongoing commitment to discussions focused on the development of a Unity of Purpose, Governance Team Goals, and a commitment to norms and protocols relating to the formal structures that enable the Board of Education and Superintendent in the performance of their responsibilities in a way that benefits all children.
Ray J. Rodriguez has been serving the Newark community as a School Board Member of the Newark Unified School District since 1995. In his tenure, he has been President several times. Throughout his career, Mr. Rodriguez has demonstrated a strong dedication and commitment to ensuring educational equity and quality of life in the community. Mr. Rodriguez has served in various City committees since 1990. He has been President of the Mission Valley ROP, and has chaired a County-wide Hispanic Scholarship Program. Mr. Rodriguez has also been part of the League of Volunteer (LOV) Newark's Advisory Board and many of its programs. Mr. Rodriguez’s role in education coupled with his entrepreneurial background, as a Business owner in Newark since 1984, have promoted and strengthened local public-private partnerships. As an example, he collaborated in the founding of Avanzando, Newark. Avanzando encourages excellence through mentoring, art, tutoring, parent education and recognizing those who participate in the empowerment of the Latino community. Ray J. Rodriguez has always been motivated in serving his community, and he is well known for being a problem-solver and reaching out for families in need. He has served as a Deacon in a local church. Mr. Rodriguez moved to California from New York City in 1973. Three years later, he moved to Newark because he wanted to raise a family in a safe and nurturing environment. He has seven children and five grandchildren. Eight have graduated from Newark schools, two have college degrees, and five are presently attending college. Mr. Rodriguez is a Vietnam Veteran, serving our country as a U.S. Marine Corps sergeant.
Nancy Thomas is a Board Member at Newark Unified School District, and has served in this capacity since 2002. During her tenure, Ms. Thomas has held various leadership positions impacting the District. She has been on the Board of the Mission Valley ROP, and participated in the City/District Joint Task Force on Youth Issues. She has also been a member of the Alameda County Board Association. Ms. Thomas is proud of contributing to the passage of Measure G, Newark Quality Education and Safe Classrooms, in 2011. Another notable accomplishment was her work as Co-Principal Investigator on a $7 million NSF Math Science Partnership Grant and Noyce Supplemental Grant in which Newark science teachers participated. Making a difference in education is a driving force in her career and further demonstrated by Ms. Thomas’s work in the California State Boards Association (CSBA), where she is currently a Representative to CIF Federated Council. She is currently a CSBA Delegate Assembly Member for Region 7B Alameda County. Ms. Thomas is actively involved in the Newark Rotary Club and Newark Optimist Club. Currently, she is a Board member of Kidango, as well as past Board Member of RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching) and BSCS (Biological Sciences Curriculum Study). Ms. Thomas received her undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University and Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. She retired from Hewlett Packard Company after 25 years of service. Ms. Thomas is a proud parent and grandparent to three adult children and five grandchildren. She enjoys playing bridge, cycling, and gardening.
Ms. Elisa Martinez has been a resident of Newark for close to 25 years. She has two children attending Newark schools. She is a strong supporter of public education and believes wholeheartedly that the best results come from a close collaboration among school administration, teaching staff and the community. Ms. Martinez graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in Psychology. Professionally she serves as a process improvement expert across many industries.
Ms. Lucia Gutierrez is an alumni of Newark schools. She was an undergrad at Notre Dame de Namur with double majors in Political Science and History, and graduated with Cum Laude Honors. She graduated from law school in 2013. Lucia has done a lot of work with Newark’s youth and wants to continue helping students become productive citizens with a high-quality education.
Mr. Bowen Zhang moved to Southern California when he first came to America at the age of 17. He moved to the Bay Area to attend the University of California at Berkeley and received a bachelor’s degree with double majors in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science. After graduation, he started his professional career as a software engineer. Mr. Zhang bought a home in Newark in 2012. After working several years, he received his master’s degree in Software Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. Bowen will begin a new post in March as a software engineer.