ORANGE : Trustee Not Seeking Reelection to Board

Board member Jeff Holstien will not run for reelection to the Orange Unified School District Board of Trustees this fall when his two-year term expires.

Holstien, 39, who represents the district’s west side, is stepping aside to study law at Western State University in Fullerton. Elected to the board in 1987, Holstien served as the 1989-90 board president.

As a trustee, Holstien helped rebuild a district wracked by scandal and severe financial problems. During his tenure, the board also weathered a teachers strike and the instability of having four different superintendents.

Holstien called board trusteeship a “thankless task.”

“It’s been extremely difficult in the absence of continuity of administrative leadership and the lack of adequate funding,” Holstien said. “It’s a lose-lose situation. We’ve spent all our time cutting programs, staff and services, and in doing that we’ve effectively alienated every part of the community at some point.”

Holstien said that he leaves without attaining one of his biggest goals: to sell off some of the district’s surplus property.

“That’s my biggest disappointment, that we couldn’t free up that $200 million to $300 million in property to educate kids,” he said.

Holstien’s district includes Lampson, Palmyra, Sycamore and West Orange Elementary schools, Portola Middle School and the Richland Continuation School.

He said he will pursue his degree while continuing in his position as director of facilities and construction for the Azusa Unified School District.

The terms of board members Russell Barrios and Nancy L. Moore are expiring this fall. Barrios has said he will seek reelection, but Moore has not announced whether she will.

Board President Alan E. Irish and members Barry P. Resnick, Lila Beavans and John Hurley have one year remaining on their terms.