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Portola Valley School District Trustee Amod Setlur announced on Oct. 17 that he will be resigning from the board on Nov. 13 after three years of service. The school board has launched the appointment process to find a successful applicant who will be seated in mid-November and will serve the remaining 13 months of Setlur’s term.
Setlur was elected to the board in November 2022 and his term was slated to end in December 2026.
“I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to work alongside my fellow trustees, the dedicated administration, staff, and the community to support our students,” said Setlur in a written statement. “This decision was made after careful consideration of personal and professional changes that require my full attention.”
Setlur told The Almanac that he had talked about leaving the board over the summer and thought long and hard about his decision.
“Part of my service was to give back to the community, and with some of the changes in my situation, I thought that in order to give it my fullest, I had to make the decision to resign,” he said.
Over the last three years, Setlur said he was proud to have served as the district technology liaison, ensuring network security, setting the stage for artificial intelligence in education and helping recruit the new district technology coordinator.
In his last remaining month, he looks forward to overseeing the implementation of the adopted district curriculum including the continuity of a new course model for English language learners.
“(Setlur’s) thoughtful leadership and steadfast commitment to the continuous improvement of our schools have made a lasting impact,” said Portola Valley Superintendent Roberta Zarea. “We are especially grateful for his expertise in the areas of technology, safety, and facilities, which have strengthened our schools and supported the success and wellbeing of every student.”
“It was not an easy decision to leave a year early, but I know we are in great hands with great leadership, as well as the current board, so I’ll always be cheering from the sidelines and following our success,” Setlur said.
Setlur shared that he believes that anyone who has a deep appreciation for the Portola Valley schools and works with a “student-first and community mindset would be phenomenal” as a candidate for the school board.
Application information
Applications to fill Setlur’s seat are being accepted by the board until Nov. 12 at 5 p.m. Candidates must be a resident of the local school district, at least 18 years of age and are registered to vote. Applicants will be interviewed during a special meeting during the week of Nov. 17 and a successful applicant will be chosen and seated the same day, according to the district.
A candidate application can be obtained and completed online at tinyurl.com/pvsdcandidateapplication. Applications can be emailed to Executive Assistant to the Superintendent Lisa Benabbas at lbenabbas@pvsd.net or delivered in a hard copy form to the Portola Valley School District Office, 4575 Alpine Rd., Portola Valley.
To learn more about the role of a school board member, virtual informational sessions will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 9 a.m. and Thursday, Nov. 6 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting can be accessed through meet.google.com/rih-ckef-cxw.
The district also recommends reading its governance handbook for more details and contacting current trustees. Questions about the role can be directed to Banabbas or by calling the district office at 650-852-1777.
Editors’ note: This article has been updated with information on how to apply for a seat on the school board.
