KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – I’m excited to introduce everyone to our newest board member, Allison Panella.
Allison is going to be a great addition to our board. She is a lifelong Lake County resident who has positive attitude, a strong foundation in community service and plenty of familiarity with education.
In addition to having a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and having been a preschool teacher, she said, “Everyone in my family either works in the education field or is married to someone who does.”
With three kids under 5 years old, she’s a stay-at-home mom who’s about to spend a lot of time at Kelseyville Unified schools in the years to come, which is one of the reasons I’m so pleased she chose to become a board member – her perspective is really valuable.
She said her goals are to support staff, including exploring resources to help prevent burnout; and to support parents, as she knows firsthand the barriers that full-time working parents face while striving to meet the needs of young children.
She’s pleased that Kelseyville Unified can provide free school lunches and strong after school programs, and she wants to help the district continue to be responsive to the needs of parents as social and economic situations shift.
She told me she is excited to be a board member in a district where things are going well, as she put it, “where the district has its act together with a healthy budget and a great team that’s focused on what’s best for kids.” Her role on the school board will be one of many community activities she participates in.
She’s a member of the Kelseyville Sunrise Rotary, which provides scholarships to Kelseyville High School seniors, encourages student volunteerism through the Rotary Interact Club, funds school initiatives like the new baseball scoreboard, and sponsors students through the Adopt a Fifth Grader Program and Student of the Month Program. She is also a First 5 Lake commissioner.
Through her and her husband’s business, Stokes Ladders Inc., and their pear and walnut farm, Allison and husband Greg have sponsored Kelseyville Unified FFA students, is an active supporter of the Stokes Basketball Tournament, as well as supporting and coaching local youth sports teams.
She said, “My heart has always been with our youth. I believe in public education and want to support it to the best of my ability… Kelseyville is a close-knit community. We know our neighbors and a lot of us really care about our schools and our kids. I want to help local kids pursue a higher education and then return to our community.”
So there you have it. Welcome, Allison. Thanks for volunteering your time and energy. I’m confident you’ll help us make Kelseyville Unified the best it can be.
Allison will work with the following board members to help set the direction for Kelseyville Unified: John DeChaine, Gary Olson, Rick Winer and Taja Odom. She replaces Dr. Joseph Richardson who graciously stepped in to serve during a midterm vacancy and opted not to run for office.
In addition to our dedicated staff members, Kelseyville Unified thrives because of people who give their time and talent to help kids – our board members, our student families, and our community members.
Thanks to all of you who support the district through your financial support of school-sponsored programs and activities, your volunteer time, and your willingness to come when called upon to help our students reach their potential.
During this holiday season, I wish you all a joyous time filled with the company of loved ones.
Dave McQueen is superintendent of Kelseyville Unified School District.
