Anaheim Elementary Board Extends Superintendent’s Contract, Aligns Cabinet Terms

The Anaheim Elementary School District Board voted Dec. 10 to extend Superintendent Jesse Chavarria’s contract through June 30, 2028 and approved two‑year addenda for cabinet members.

Trustee Ryan (speaker 11) moved to amend a one‑year addendum on the agenda to extend Chavarria’s agreement to July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, aligning his term with other cabinet members. The motion to amend and the final amended motion were approved after trustee discussion praising the superintendent’s responsiveness and the evaluations that informed the decision. The board took a roll call vote and the extension passed unanimously.

CSEA had urged the board earlier to grant a two‑year extension for the superintendent, saying classified staff were satisfied with Chavarria’s performance and asking the board to "act in good faith"; Maribel Fernandez told trustees the union was concerned about perceived bias from some board members and the timing of contract renewals. The board’s final actions included addenda for Assistant Superintendent Matthew Slusser, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Yadira Moreno and Assistant Superintendent Dina Mellon; trustees approved each by roll call vote (each 5–0).

The board framed the vote as aligning contract lengths for continuity in district leadership. Superintendent Chavarria thanked the board and acknowledged staff; trustees asked for continued transparency and objective evaluation going forward.

The decisions take effect as noted in the agenda: the superintendent’s amended addendum runs through 06/30/2028 (effective 07/01/2026 per addendum language in the agenda).