VENTURA : Kilbride Rules Out School Reelection Bid

After nearly 14 years on the Ventura Unified School District Board of Education, Terrence Kilbride has decided not to seek another term.

Kilbride joined the board in 1980 to face what he described as a long series of frustrating budget decisions.

“We’ve been cutting funds every year since I joined the board. At this point it is impossible to run a quality school system,” Kilbride said.

In spite of these hurdles, Kilbride’s colleagues said he always maintained focus.

“He has had a continued desire to maintain staff development,” said Joseph Spirito, the district’s superintendent. “I’ve never seen that man make a decision not in the best interest of the children.”

Fellow board member Diane Harriman said Kilbride added continuity to the board because of his long years of service. “He will be sorely missed,” she said.

Kilbride said he decided to leave the board in part because his two children were no longer students in Ventura schools. “It is important for the board to have that link to the children,” he said. “I can think of a number of times where I ran ideas past my kids and found their input useful.”