Incoming ACSA President Rafael Plascencia addresses the Leadership Assembly May 9.
Rafael Plascencia hugs outgoing board officer Erin Simon, thanking her for her service.
ACSA leaders get ready for a game.
ACSA’s Vice Presidents for Legislative Action during Leadership Assembly.
The law firm Lozano Smith accepts ACSA’s Legacy Partner Award.
Students from Elk Grove High School Polynesian Club perform.
Edgar Zazueta, Margarita Cuizon-Armelino, Andy Ishibashi and Parvin Ahmadi.
Shellie Perry discusses with other Region 4 leaders ways to use ACSA’s new Equity Action Tool.
Incoming Board Officers Parvin Ahmadi, Daryl Camp, Rafael Plascencia, Rene Rickard and Gina Potter.
Outgoing ACSA Past President Erin Simon.
Region 17 Board Member Leisa Winston receives high fives from fellow board members.
Senior Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Professional Learning Services Tracie Noriega.
Candidate for vice president Katherine Castleberry runs a carnival.
ACSA Executive Director Edgar Zazueta.
Rene Rickard hugs Katherine Castleberry following the announcement of ACSA’s new vice president.
Retiring Region 5 Consultant Andy Ishibashi accepts an award to honor his service to ACSA.
Rene Rickard following her swearing in as ACSA’s new vice president.
Students from Elk Grove High School Polynesian Club perform.
ACSA Vice President Daryl Camp has the Leadership Assembly sing “Happy Birthday” to his wife.
ACSA President Parvin Ahmadi during a Wednesday night awards dinner.
New ACSA officers, board members installed
May 20, 2024
ACSA leaders selected the association’s next vice president during the Leadership Assembly held May 9 in Sacramento.
Rene Rickard, chief innovation officer with Ventura USD, was elected to the office of vice president, which puts her in succession to become ACSA president in 2026-27. ACSA voting delegates representing each region and ACSA’s councils and committees had a choice between Rickard and Katherine Castleberry, coordinator of early childhood education at Torrance USD.
ACSA’s Board Officers for the 2024-25 school year were sworn in:
- Vice President for Legislative Action Gina Potter.
- Vice President Rene Rickard.
- President-elect Daryl Camp.
- President Rafael Plascencia.
- Past President Parvin Ahmadi.
In his remarks as incoming president, Plascencia spoke about school leaders’ moral imperative to serve all students and to “raise them up and light their pathway of opportunity.”
Plascencia was born in Mexico to parents who left him when he was a baby to find a better life in America. When he was 5 years old, he was brought to the U.S. by parents who were strangers. The trauma of being in a new country and not knowing English caused him to act out in school. He was about to be placed in special education when his principal recognized that he had a language issue and not a disability. Plascencia said this principal loved and cared for him while also holding him accountable for his behavior.
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“I’m proof that what you do, what we all do, our purpose — it makes a difference for students,” Plascencia said. “What saved me, what saves many of the students you interact with, is education.”
Plascencia also spoke about the importance of mental health for not just students but also educators.
“The rigor of our roles and responsibilities can weigh heavily on our social and emotional wellness,” he said. “We need to recognize that while we’re doing our level best to support all students, we also need to support each other.”
During the Leadership Assembly, ACSA leaders from throughout the state also heard an update from Executive Director Edgar Zazueta.
Zazueta illustrated how complicated it is to be a school leader today by contrasting today’s public schools with those of the 1970s, when schools had very few duties related to public safety and social services.
“The needs of our system and the needs of our leaders have increased,” he said. “It’s a reminder for us — how are we as an organization making sure we’re keeping up with the trends that you are now having to face?”
ACSA’s Partner4Purpose program also gave a Legacy Partner Award to the law firm of Lozano Smith, to honor their long history of supporting ACSA’s mission, its members and California’s students through financial contributions to the association.
ACSA Senior Director of Equity Tracie Noriega led an exercise exploring the new Equity Action Tool developed by the ACSA Equity Committee to support educators with addressing issues of equity in a collaborative way.
“We’ve seen our dashboards. We know our data. We know what data can be predictable,” Noriega said. “We wanted a way to support our folks in having these conversations. ... What’s a way to structure it a little bit so that our folks can attack these issues of equity?”
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At their tables, ACSA leaders discussed ACSA’s definition of equity and were able to practice using the tool, which is available online. Noriega also encouraged members to review the new ACSA Equity Library that contains tools, guides and resources to empower ACSA members in fostering inclusive and equitable school environments across the state.
ACSA’s Governmental Relations Team gave leaders a breakdown of key legislation advocates are following. ACSA Senior Director of State and Federal Governmental Relations Iván Carrillo reflected on the success of the recent Legislative Action Days, where members met with 115 of the 120 sitting legislators at the state Capitol.
“ACSA is making a difference in the world and our public education system,” he said. “You all play a really crucial role in all this.”
ACSA leaders also recognized and honored retiring Region 5 Consultant Andy Ishibashi, who has spent nearly three decades as an ACSA member and served in numerous leadership roles, including as region president, delegate, secondary education council, state ACSA board representative and most recently as Region 5 consultant.
“We appreciate your unwavering commitment and passion. Your leadership has inspired countless colleagues and your guidance has steered the region through both triumph and challenges,” said ACSA Deputy Executive Director Margarita Cuizon-Armelino. “But beyond your ACSA achievement, it’s your warmth, kindness and genuine care for others that have left an indelible mark on our hearts.”
Ishibashi was presented with an award in recognition of his service to ACSA.
“I’m going to miss you all. I’ve had a great time. It’s been a great run,” Ishibashi said. “Getting involved in ACSA has really helped me professionally. ... Thank you, aloha and mahalo.”