Ringing in the new year coupled with a birthday, former educator Alexia Palacios-Peters begins a new chapter in her sphere of local civic engagement.
Scrolling through a screen’s palette of blue, purple, red and green rows in the monthly view of her Google calendar, the mother, lawyer and military spouse shares how she will continue to uphold her commitment to education in the Coronado community as the 2024 board president for the Coronado Unified School District.
“I was certain I wanted to take on the role,” Palacios-Peters said. “I’m always prepared to lead if necessary.”
Palacios-Peters was elected in 2022 and sworn in to a four-year term and quickly nominated for board clerk.
In her second year, Trustee Whitney Antrim nominated Palacios-Peters for board president.
“I am confident that she will serve as our board president with commitment and integrity.”
CUSD Superintendent Karl Mueller
“The Board’s selection of Alexia Palacios-Peters as president for 2024 represents a continuation of elected officials who willingly give their time and selflessly share their experience and perspectives in support of our schools,” CUSD Superintendent Karl Mueller wrote in a statement for The Coronado News. “I am confident that she will serve as our board president with commitment and integrity.”
Palacios-Peters brings a wide variety of perspectives to her position, understands the role of the governance team, is very engaged in the community and has strong leadership skills and a passion for serving all students, added Mueller.
Representing military voices
During an interview in early January, the new board president echoed her continued dedication to education and her hopes for the year ahead.
“I felt that there needed to be a better representation of military voices on the governing board.”
CUSD Board President Alexia Palacios-Peters
“My initial motivation was definitely having three kids in the school system and also being a military family. And I felt that there needed to be a better representation of military voices on the governing board,” said Palacios-Peters.
As a full-time attorney, the CUSD parent of three finds joy being involved in the town she has called home since 2017.
Following the trailblazing footsteps of her mother, Rebecca A. Palacios, who has a doctorate in Early Childhood Education and became the first Latina inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 2014, Palacios-Peters has also spent time inside elementary school classrooms.
“I remember being in third grade and wanting to be an art teacher,” said Palacios-Peters. “I definitely had my mother as a mentor and as somebody to look up to and aspire to … I spent a lot of time in her classroom volunteering and then as I was in college, I was able to do substitute teaching.”
And though life led Palacios-Peters to pursue a legal career, today the federal government veterans law attorney finds herself advocating for military connected students and families.
“Being a military spouse definitely shaped who and where I am today,” said Palacios-Peters. “I was born and raised in Texas, I was going to be a teacher, and then I met a guy in the Navy … My husband’s amazing, he’s extremely supportive.”
Council with military representatives
Upholding a continued level of participation with the schools, she wants to ensure support for military students and entire families using her family’s experience of five deployments.
“We’re so fortunate to have that in this community,” said Palacios-Peters. “Our military liaison does a fabulous job, and she really brings all the programs that are available and resources to one spot.”
According to Mindy Hayes, the school liaison for Naval Base Coronado, military-connected families represent over 40% of CUSD.
CUSD represents a portion of the 48 schools Hayes works with to create a connection between the military families, support organizations and services by sharing information about K-12 educational opportunities for military connected students as necessary.
For Hayes, who said she loves to “put families at ease” and ensure they are taken care of across each school site, hearing new parents’ sigh of relief is one of the greatest indicators of her close ties with school staff. She also educates school staff about military lifestyles and stressors that may result from moving, deployment and reintegration.
“It’s been really nice to see Mrs. Palacios-Peters take her perspective and bring that into the decision-making process,” said Hayes. “The district is very good at communicating with me and supportive [of the families].”
In March 2023, Coronado Unified announced their Purple Star School distinction, a state Department of Education honor that recognized their district-wide commitment to help military-connected students and their families at each of the schools.
“I just wanted to make sure that there was somebody there consistently bringing up military families and issues that we face that may not necessarily be thought about with regard to the moving and the different educations that are being brought in.”
CUSD Board President Alexia Palacios-Peters
“That’s a huge connection that we have that I think we can explore,” said Palacios-Peters about the ongoing collaboration and the recent governing board presentation by Capt. Newt McKissick, commander of Naval Base Coronado, and Hayes in their recent October visit to the school boardroom. “I just wanted to make sure that there was somebody there consistently bringing up military families and issues that we face that may not necessarily be thought about with regard to the moving and the different educations that are being brought in.”
Other priorities
Beyond district-wide strides in trust, transparency, civility and mental health, Palacios-Peters considers the budget the biggest challenge CUSD faces.
“This last year we’ve really looked forward, the portrait of a graduate has been huge moving us towards what we want to see in the future,” said Palacios-Peters. “As board president, I want us to keep moving that way. The budget’s going to come out, it doesn’t look great right now, so that’s also something; how are we going to work this budget to be able to continue providing what we need to provide and fill in the gaps.”
In the spring, Palacios-Peters will travel to Washington D.C. alongside Antrim to advocate with other trustees from the state of California to the federal government for additional funding to support services for children with special needs.
“I’m really happy working with this governing board and the superintendent, and I think that our district is in a great spot.”
CUSD Board President Alexia Palacios-Peters
“I’m really happy working with this governing board and the superintendent, and I think that our district is in a great spot,” said Palacios-Peters. “Renee Cavanaugh (former president) came in and is such a calming presence, which is something that I think we needed in the boardroom. Her leadership really got us to a place where we’re conducting business of the district with minimal distractions, and it’s a place where we hear all voices. … I hope to be able to continue that forward.”
In her remaining term on the governing board, the 44-year-old looks forward to continuing learning as a trustee through what she considers are helpful conferences and will see her oldest graduate from Coronado High School.
“The community brings me joy. …I just want people to know that I’m available and happy to help.”
CUSD Board President Alexia Palacios-Peters
“The community brings me joy. If there’s a problem, I want to help solve it. Being a part of organizations, I can help bring solutions, I can help get things done,” said Palacios-Peters. “I just want people to know that I’m available and happy to help.”
