Dedicated to Students: SRVUSD Board Member Ken Mintz Retires
Ilana Israel Samuels  |  December 16, 2022 

The following evening, on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, Ken was given the Education Champion award at the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) Board meeting. Selected by CCCOE's Superintendent Lynn Mackey, this award recognizes people and organizations that have gone above and beyond to support students and schools. Ken was proudly nominated by Superintendent Dr. Malloy's Cabinet and we are so thrilled he has been honored with this well-deserved award. We wanted to share with the wider community the entire nomination submission. Ken’s contributions to our community will forever be appreciated and never be forgotten: 

It is with great pleasure that we put forward SRVUSD Board of Education President Ken Mintz for consideration as a Contra Costa County Education Champion.

Ken Mintz will be coming to the end of his term on our Board of Education in December, 2022.  He has served SRVUSD for a total of 18 years over a 30 year period (1992 - 1996 and again 2009-present), and has proven to be strategic, reflective, thoughtful, service-oriented and community-minded. He pays close attention to the key foundational pieces that ensure the district’s success, including budget, facilities and using resources effectively. During his many years of service he has represented our community’s interests and has always put students first. 

Ken is dedicated and committed to his work as a trustee. Throughout his tenure, he supported the district in hiring five superintendents. Ken has also represented the district on committees including: Access to Excellence (a2e) Steering Committee, Facilities Oversight and Advisory Committee (FOAC), Street Smarts, Liaison for the Danville Town Council, Safety and Technology Committees, and the Citizen’s Corps Council Policy Advisory Committee for emergency preparedness in San Ramon Valley. He has served during a time when our student enrollment has doubled in size, all while meeting financial challenges and the impacts of social change. 

Ken was recently spotlighted in the California School Board Association’s blog: School Boards in Action. He shared the following, which is the essence of why we are nominating him as an Education Champion for the Contra Costa County Office of Education:

My hope and goal during the remainder of my term is not only to continue putting our students at the center of every decision, but also to educate our students and our community on the importance of providing an education built on a foundation of communication, collaboration, curiosity, creativity and critical thinking skills. These are all things that will prepare them for future success, no matter what path their lives take. I also want to instill a sense of civility for those holding differences in opinion while accepting a basis in fact for their views. SRVUSD provides a very strong academic environment for our students, while ensuring all students are provided with the conditions for learning that help them thrive. My hope is that we produce actively engaged and respectful citizens as well.

Ken is highly respected within both the district itself and in the wider community. He has dedicated countless hours throughout his tenure to making sure our students thrive and that our staff have what they need to move SRVUSD’s work forward. Ken has been instrumental in our success and ensuring SRVUSD is a destination district. His level of professionalism and commitment to the work shines through in every facet of how he approaches his role. He will be missed as a trustee, but his legacy and impact as a champion of public education will no doubt continue on.