Adelanto Elementary School District Board appoints Stephanie Webster to fill vacant seat

Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press
·3 min read
The Adelanto Elementary School District Board of Trustees has appointed Stephanie Webster to fill the vacant seat of the late Ammie Hunter, who died unexpectedly last year.
The Adelanto Elementary School District Board of Trustees has appointed Stephanie Webster to fill the vacant seat of the late Ammie Hunter, who died unexpectedly last year.

The Adelanto Elementary School District Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Stephanie Webster to fill the vacant seat of the late Ammie Hunter, who died unexpectedly in November.

The AESD Board appointed Webster during a special board meeting on Friday, Jan. 28, according to a district news release on Monday.

Webster will represent Area 5 schools, including Adelanto Elementary, El Mirage School, George Visual & Performing Arts Magnet, and Westside Park Elementary.

“I am honored to be selected as the Trustee for Area 5,” Webster said in a written statement. “I look forward to serving the Adelanto Elementary School District and the Adelanto/El Mirage communities. I believe our most precious resource is the education of our children and the staff and faculty that supports them every day.”

Webster is an eight-year resident of Adelanto. She is a co-owner of The Joe Box, a coffee subscription service, and is a legal assistant at the Law Office of Valerie Ross, located in Victorville.

In her application for appointment, Webster shared that she is a quick learner, likes to work in teams, and has a can-do attitude, district officials said.

When asked about the major issues challenging public education, Webster listed staffing, establishing incentives to keep current staff, and bringing new staff, management philosophy, and community involvement, the AESD said.

“The Board set out to find a highly qualified candidate well-positioned to help students, staff, and the district,” Board President Christina Bentz said in the news release. “The Board believes Ms. Webster is an excellent choice with an understanding of Area 5 and a passion for serving the community.”

“I am confident that Ms. Webster will contribute immediately to the Board,” said Superintendent Dr. Kennon Mitchell in a written statement. “She is eager and excited to support our core values of providing a high-quality instructional program and to meet the needs of all students.”

The AESD is responsible for ensuring the district operates effectively and efficiently. Trustees commit a significant amount of time, energy, effort, and dedication to ensuring that the district appropriately serves our community and the students within the school district, AESD officials said.

The school board position involves the study of materials and working collaboratively with the superintendent to ensure the district's success.

Ammie Hunter remembered as caring, thoughtful leader

Ammie Hunter, 58, an Adelanto Elementary School District Board of Trustees member, who also founded a local nonprofit aimed at helping low-income women, died in November 2021.
Ammie Hunter, 58, an Adelanto Elementary School District Board of Trustees member, who also founded a local nonprofit aimed at helping low-income women, died in November 2021.

In a written statement last year, AESD officials did not disclose a cause of death for the 58-year-old Hunter but said her passing was sudden and unexpected, the Daily Press reported.

“Ammie was a caring and thoughtful community leader who spent her time and energy for the betterment of our school district and the community,” said Superintendent Mitchell.

Hunter, who formerly used the last name Hines, was elected to the board in 2018. She served the residents of Region 2 in the southeastern part of Adelanto, which covers Gus Franklin Jr. STEM Academy, Melva Davis Academy of Excellence, and West Creek Elementary.

Hunter moved to the High Desert in 2004 while working for the Automobile Club of Southern California, according to her biography on Voter’s Edge California.

Hunter founded Another Level for Women, in 2010, which the nonprofit said is “dedicated to providing financial, emotional, and educational support services for women in our community, particularly extremely low-income women with children.”

Hunter also served on the boards of several other nonprofits, including the Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County and the High Desert Food Collaborative.

The AESD is a 14 campus TK-8th grade school district based in Adelanto. The district serves students in the city of Adelanto, in northwest and south neighborhoods of the City of Victorville, and the unincorporated community of El Mirage located in County Service Area 70.

The AESD has three middle schools, two K-8 campuses, nine elementary campuses, and an independent study program.

The district offers Transitional Kindergarten, magnet school programs, a dual-immersion campus, STEM/STEAM instruction, after-school programs, athletics, and extracurricular programs. Special Education services are offered at each site.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Instagram @RenegadeReporter and Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Adelanto Elementary School District Board appoints Stephanie Webster