The Riverbank Unified School District Board of Directors took time out at the December meeting to recognize accomplishments by students and teams in local schools.

The meeting started with President Suzanne Dean presenting certificates to students of local elementary and middle schools for their achievements in the Stanislaus County Office of Education’s 2019-20 Spelling Bee.

The board recognized Santiago Garnica, a fourth grader at California Avenue School for winning the Gold Medal for his class level. Alex Pereira won the Gold for fifth grade, representing Mesa Verde Elementary School.

Olivia Richey, a fourth grader at Mesa Verde, brought home a Silver Medal and was recognized by the board, as was Alexis Lopez, for a Junior High Silver Medal winner. He’s a seventh grader at Riverbank Language Academy.

Following the spellers, the board recognized the runners of the Riverbank High School Boys Cross Country Team. They won the Trans-Valley League title this year. Dean and Superintendent Christine Facella also presented Cross Country Coach Robert Searway with recognition of his having been voted TVL coach of the year by the league’s other coaches.

The board also held its annual election for president for 2020, with Elizabeth Meza taking the gavel for the remainder of the meeting.

The panel heard the first interim financial report for the district’s 2019-20 school year and received a presentation on the upcoming re-certification of the Riverbank Language Academy.