Lisa Canales elected president of Washington Local School Board

By La Prensa Staff

Lisa Canales, a member of the Washington Local School Board since 1999, was elected president of that board last week in a five-to-zero vote. This is Canales’ second stint as president; she previously served in that post in 2004. She will succeed board member David Hunter.

Canales cited as the greatest accomplishments of the board, during her tenure as a member, the implementation of an all-day, every-day kindergarten, the passage of several levies and the recent opening at Whitmer High School of a renovated auditorium, new auxiliary gym, new fitness center and the expanded field house lobby.

Lisa Canales

“But my favorite moment has always been at the end of the year when as board members we hand over diplomas to the graduating class. It is such a privilege to hand them that one document that they have worked for their entire lives. As I hand the graduates their diplomas, I whisper in their ears, ‘Congratulations … now go out there and make us proud, I’ll be watching!’”

Canales’ priorities for her term as president include the continued improvement of the district’s school year State of Ohio report card for the 7,000 students served by WLS and the negotiation of a teachers’ contract.

The greatest challenges faced by the school board, said Canales, “will always be the funding issue and passing levies within our district … we will have to go back to the voters sometime within the next year and ask for their support for a levy.”