The Mountain View–Los Altos (MVLA) Board of Trustees members voted on upcoming positions for the 2024 term during the Board meeting on Monday, December 18, 2023. Sanjay Dave secured unanimous votes as Board president.

Annually, the five trustees cycle through different roles on the Board. The clerk moves into the role of vice president, and the vice president takes on the role of president. Dave, previously vice president, is assuming the Board presidency from Phil Faillace, a longstanding MVLA Board trustee. Esmerelda Oritz was selected as vice president, Thida Cornes as clerk and Faillace and Catherine Vonnegut will remain as trustees.

During the Board meeting, Faillace gave his last regards as president to the Board Trustees and District office members.

“The Board doesn’t always agree, but I think that’s essential for a functional group — if you have a bunch of ‘yes’ people, there won’t be any progress,” Faillace said. “We talk, we figure things out, we get better, and I’m sure that with Sanjay at the helm, that will continue to happen.”

When asked why he continues to serve MVLA schools, Dave explained his excitement for getting to hear from a diverse range of voices during monthly Board meetings.

“Seeing the presentations and learning from MVLA staff with so much knowledge and experience is like being able to see what’s going on in the District through their eyes,” Dave said. “They’re the ones on the ground working with the students every day, so I enjoy that the most out of Board meetings.”

Superintendent Nellie Meyer looked back on Dave’s past experience as 2020 Board president, when he showed commitment to maintaining the District’s strong academic reputation during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Dave was president in the most difficult year MVLA has had and his ability to respectfully encourage the community to participate makes him knowledgeable on the school experience,” Meyer said. “He’s able to run a Board meeting smoothly and highlight areas that may need improvement, so I anticipate a year where we’ll be able to explore even more important topics for MVLA.”