The Desert Sands Unified School District Board held its annual organizational actions at the Dec. 16 meeting and approved several leadership and personnel items.

Trustee Alvarez was elected board president by unanimous vote. The board then approved Dr. Kelly Watson as vice president and Dr. Kelly May Volmer for secretary to the governing board; each motion was seconded and carried by recorded votes.

Superintendent and staff recognized employees of the month for December: Yanni Salehi (credential analyst, personnel services), Allison Brown (TK teacher, Lincoln Elementary), and Nicole Aguirre (principal, Page Middle School). The board also announced new management appointments: Craig Christiansen, principal at Desert Ridge Academy; Molly Farren, program specialist in student support services; and Dr. Michael Williams, assistant principal at Palm Desert High School.

In closed session the board approved the appointment of Meredith Greenwood as principal of Lincoln Elementary School, and it accepted an expulsion recommendation for case 25-526-6. Personnel announcements included several retirements: Dennis Chavez (28.5 years), Janine Hill (21.5 years), Hector Cisneros (31 years) and Cindy Thomas (39 years); the board expressed appreciation and approved the personnel actions.

No contested nominations or tied votes were recorded for the organizational slate; the board folded these personnel approvals into the consent and closed-session actions noted in the minutes.