Ms. Phuong Nguyen was appointed to the Board of Education in September 2019 and elected in 2020.  Her family has been residing in Newark for the past 30 years.  Ms. Nguyen, and her siblings, are products of Newark schools and is proud to have her two children enrolled in the district.  Ms. Nguyen strongly believes that public education builds strong, resilient, compassionate, talented professionals, innovators, and the leaders of tomorrow.  Ms. Nguyen understands that it takes team-effort, collaborative work from district staff at all levels, and a strong partnership with parents, students, extended families, and the community at large to help develop and prepare students for their future endeavors in higher education or career trade.  Ms. Nguyen has a degree in Sociology and a minor in Psychology from the University of Arizona.  Ms. Nguyen has 22 years of work experience in local government, strategic planning, and IT systems implementation.

Ms. Katherine Jones has been involved in education for over 40 years.  She graduated from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo with a BS in Home Economics focusing on Interior Design and Textiles. From there she went into business for 4 years, before attending Santa Clara University, where she received her teaching credential. She began teaching for NUSD in 1988 and retired in June of 2022. Throughout her career, she worked with four publishers in various capacities including curriculum development, sales, and staff development facilitation. In addition, she was involved with curriculum development and staff development training for the district. Ms. Jones was a key member in the creation of the district’s sophisticated Educator Effectiveness and Evaluation (E3) system, a process which includes both an evaluation process by an administrator and a self-reflection tool ensuring educator growth and improvement. She also completed CSUEB’s Educational Leadership Academy in 2000. As a lifelong educator, she was not ready to leave education and ran for school board. She understands the needs of teachers, classified staff, and students. She has worked with many parents listening to their concerns and promoting open communication with all stakeholders.  Ms. Jones has been a resident of Newark since 2000 where her two children attended NUSD beginning in elementary school. Ms. Jones looks forward to helping the district reach its goal of creating a world-class education for all our students and a respected environment for the staff to work within.

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Ms. Plancarte was born and raised in California, is a first-generation English Learner, and the first in her family to graduate college. She understands firsthand the importance of providing a robust education for all students. “Developing students who are equipped with necessary skills and knowledge to participate, and be successful in society is essential to their individual well-being and our democracy. We must empower and challenge our students, cultivate a culture where everyone belongs and is respected for who they are not who they are not.” She believes student achievement, district-wide safe schools, and equity distribution for every student should be at the forefront of decision making. “We have a great body of diverse students, families, and a supportive community of highly experienced teachers and staff. NUSD has the makings to become distinguished and recognized by our community as a long-term educational hub that puts students and their success first.” Prior to her school board appointment in 2023, Ms. Plancarte spent time as a volunteer in local schools and served as a parent on NUSD committees. Professionally, Ms. Plancarte is a 15+ year accomplished strategic marketer with extensive experience in: communications, branding, project management, administration, and compliance. She has a degree in Health Science Management and a Marketing Minor from CSU East Bay. Ms. Plancarte is a long-term Newark resident and a proud mom of two remarkable NUSD students. She looks forward to working with board members, NUSD staff, and the community to uphold a holistic approach towards student success. 

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Coming soon.