W e e k l y RIALTO RECORD
Vol 24, NO. 13
October 30, 2025
Rialto Unified Board Members Address Misconceptions, Spotlight AI and Family Engagement at Summit
IECN.com
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PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL Guest speaker Julie Chavez Rodriguez, former White House director of intergovernmental affairs and granddaughter of Cesar Chavez, addresses attendees as Rialto Unified School District Board Members look on during the district’s Family Summit on Oct. 25, 2025.
By Manny Sandoval
B
oard members of the Rialto Unified School District directly confronted public misconceptions about the district during Saturday’s Family Summit, where nearly 1,000 parents, students, and educators gathered to hear from keynote speaker Julie Chavez Rodriguez and explore new educational tools, including artificial intelligence.
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The second summit of the 2025–26 academic year aimed to strengthen family involvement, celebrate student voice, and
connect the community with district resources through a college and career fair and hands-on workshops. Chavez Rodriguez, former White House director of intergovernmental affairs and granddaughter of civil rights leader Cesar Chavez, spoke about the power of collective action and personal resilience, closing her remarks by reciting an excerpt from “Prayer of the Farm Workers’ Struggle”—a poem written by her grandfather. “Let the spirit flourish and grow so that we will never tire of the struggle,” she read.
She then grounded the room with three words that continue to define the movement her grandfather helped build: “Si se puede.” District leaders say events like the summit are essential not just for family engagement, but also for transparency in the face of skepticism. Family Summit cont. on next pg.
Rialto USD Selects Dr. Alejandro Alvarez as Superintendent Finalist Following 7-Month Search By IECN Staff
O
n Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, at a Special Board of Education meeting, the Rialto Unified School District Board of Education unanimously voted 5-0 to designate Alejandro Alvarez, Ed.D., as the finalist to become the next Superintendent of the District, pending background check and approval of contract. The announcement was shared on Sunday at 2:35 p.m., after the Board of Education reconvened its open session meeting.
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Dr. Alejandro Alvarez is expected to lead the Rialto USD as Superintendent, after the formal approval of the Board of Education at the Wednesday, November 12, 2025, school board meeting. The veteran superintendent brings more than 24 years of experience in public education with a deep commitment to student success.
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“Let us remember those who have died for justice, for they have given us life. Help us love even those who hate us, so we can change the world.”
PHOTO RUSD Dr. Alejandro Alvarez was named superintendent finalist for Rialto Unified School District after a 7-month search.
Currently, Dr. Alvarez serves as Superintendent of Bassett
Unified School District (BUSD) located in La Puente, in Los Angeles County. Among several of his accomplishments and initiatives at BUSD are leading a district-wide effort to strengthen academic achievement, expand technology access, and build strong partnerships with families and the community. Before his tenure in Bassett, Dr. Alvarez served as Deputy Superintendent in Compton Unified School District and Associate Superintendent in Fontana Unified School District, where he began his career as a classroom teacher and later advanced through school and district leadership roles. He earned his Doctor of Education in Urban Education and Leadership from the University of Southern California, master’s degrees from Harvard University and Azusa Pacific University, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Riverside. A veteran of the United States Superintendent, cont. on next