Spina wins seat on Stanislaus County ed board

Kim Spina won election Tuesday to the Stanislaus County Board of Education District 3 seat.

Spina finished the night with 2,557 votes, or 58 percent, and rival Norman V. Lee had 1,804 votes, or 41 percent. Spina will take the seat of Zella Gharat, retiring after 33 years on the board.

Spina and Lee decided to step down from district boards to run. Spina is on the Modesto City Schools board. Lee is on the Stanislaus Union School District Board.

The county board acts as the final appeals board on student expulsions and transfers between districts. It sets elected County Superintendent Tom Changnon's salary and approves the budget for the Stanislaus County Office of Education.

Reached Tuesday night, Spina said she was "trying to not get too excited" until all the votes were in. "It was a good race, low key," she said. Spina is active in the Salida Performing Arts Foundation and volunteers on several university advisory groups.

Lee retired as deputy superintendent after 25 years with the county office. He helped develop the county's special education programs.