Morongo Unified School District Governing Board Member, Area 1 - Short Term
What does this office do?
- Setting the school district's budget and hiring the superintendent
- Deciding which schools open, close, or get rebuilt
- Approving curriculum, calendars, and teacher contracts
Affects: Government Efficiency, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control,
Candidates:
Nonpartisan · Incumbent
Melissa Bond taught in Morongo Unified for 37 years before retiring and was appointed to its school board in 2025. She lists declining enrollment, budget pressures, and keeping support staff as top issues, and wants to restore a continuation school.
Nonpartisan
Ruben Rodriguez has sold art and antiques since 2017, moved to the Hi-Desert in 2022, and is board secretary of the 29 Palms Art Guild. He says he will push for fair treatment of Twentynine Palms schools, cap class sizes at 18, and expand arts and technology programs.
Nonpartisan
Vadim Altschuler works in information technology for Morongo Unified and moved to the Morongo Basin full-time in 2019. He says he will push for a multi-year budget plan, oppose closing four elementary schools, and open up discussion of executive pay.
Sources: uploads.rov.sbcounty.gov2