News Release: 1/2/2025
LVJUSD Seats Two New Board Members and Adopts a By-Trustee Area Map for Future Board Elections
December 19, 2024 - Livermore, CA - The Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD) Board of Education welcomed two new board members, both of whom took their oaths of office at the December 17, 2024 LVJUSD Organizational Board Meeting. Deena Kaplanis and Christiaan VandenHeuvel filled the seats formerly held by Yanira Guzmán and Kristie Wang. Wang now represents District 4 on the Livermore City Council.
A first term for both Kaplanis and VandenHeuvel, they will join Board President Emily Prusso, Board Clerk Steven Drouin, and Trustee Craig Bueno in completing LVJUSD’s five-person school board. “We look forward to onboarding our newest board members and establishing supportive and collaborative relationships that will help us provide the best oversight of our district’s financial and educational goals,” expressed Board President Emily Prusso.
Kaplanis, a Livermore resident for nearly 14 years, is a local chiropractor and small business owner. As a mother and aunt to school-aged children, Kaplanis has been an active volunteer for Junction Avenue TK-8’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and youth soccer and little league teams. Through their family businesses, Kaplanis and her husband have routinely donated both their time and financial resources to support schools, teachers, students, and the community. When asked about her goals as a new board member, Kaplanis stated, “I hope to represent the community well by working hard to serve the families of Livermore and enhance their experiences in the district. My goal is to help the district reach financial stability and improve programs that prioritize student achievement and prepare students for their futures.”
VandenHeuvel has worked in Livermore for over 20 years and resided in the city for more than a decade. In addition to having children who currently attend and have graduated from LVJUSD schools and a spouse who is a special education teacher, VandenHeuvel’s ties to public education have included substitute teaching and parent volunteerism. He has held leadership roles on school site council and as a parent teacher student association (PTSA) president. “I am honored to serve on the Board and am eager to contribute to creating a learning environment where every student feels valued and has the resources they need to thrive. My focus will be on fostering equity, collaboration, and innovation within our schools as we navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead. My professional background as a pastor and director has also taught me the importance of thoughtful leadership and compassionate problem-solving, which I hope to bring to the board,” shared VandenHeuvel.
Kaplanis and VandenHeuvel are likely to be the last trustees elected by way of an at-large board election. Pending the Alameda County Committee on School District Organization’s approval of the Olive 2 area map adopted by the LVJUSD Board at Tuesday’s meeting, LVJUSD will transition to by-trustee area board elections starting in 2026. The adopted map identifies five distinct areas, each of which will be represented by one trustee. Voters in each area will elect a board member who resides in their area, allowing for broader representation across the city. This structure emulates the board elections of neighboring school districts such as Pleasanton, Dublin, and San Ramon, as well as the by-district elections of the Livermore City Council.
The date and details of Alameda County Committee on School District Organization’s public hearing for final approval of LVJUSD’s transition to by-trustee area elections will be posted to the LVJUSD website once received.
Photos courtesy of LVJUSD:
Photos #1 & 2: Superintendent Torie Gibson (left) facilitated the oath of office for new board trustees Christiaan VandenHeuvel (middle) and Deena Kaplanis (right).
Photo #3: Emily Prusso (left) voted to second one-year term as Board President; Steven Drouin (right) voted to first one-year term as Clerk at the December 17, 2024 Organizational Meeting.
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ABOUT LIVERMORE VALLEY JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
LVJUSD is an award-winning district that serves more than 13,000 students in transitional kindergarten through 12th grade at nine elementary campuses, two TK-8 schools, three middle schools, two comprehensive high schools, and two alternative schools. The LVJUSD features International Baccalaureate Programmes, a Dual Immersion Program, and a STEM pathway, TK-12. The mission of the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District is to ensure each student will graduate with the skills needed to contribute and thrive in a changing world. For more information about the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District, please visit https://link.edgepilot.com/s/5b1a3a44/ax-L4FZJzEKIAslpnYYSiQ?u=http://www.livermoreschools.org/
ADDITIONAL CONTACTS:
School Board President Emily Prusso, [email protected] (925) 606-3281
Superintendent of Schools Torie Gibson, Ed.D., [email protected] (925) 606-3281
Coordinator of Community Engagement Michelle Dawson, [email protected] (925) 960-2917
