Principal enters schools race

Scotia Holmes Sanchez, a lifelong Yuba County resident and Marysville High School graduate who went on to earn a doctorate in organizational leadership, is running for Yuba County superintendent of schools position.

Sanchez, 58, is principal of Cottage Hill School in Grass Valley and a categorical program director for the Pleasant Ridge School District in the same Nevada County community. She assists in coordinating special education for Pleasant Ridge.

The filing period to run for the seat begins Feb. 15 and runs until March 12.

She joins Dione Beilby, 52, former superintendent of the Plumas Lake School District, in seeking the Yuba County schools post held by Ric Teagarden, who is retiring.

Sanchez, an administrator in the Wheatland Elementary District for six years, worked with then-Plumas Lake superintendent Beilby.

"I respect her knowledge," Sanchez said.

Beilby, 52, was Plumas Lake superintendent from 1997-2008 and is now executive director of The Sierra Montessori Academy in Grass Valley.

Sanchez said she wants to continue improved students' test scores and support community programs such as YouthBuild, which provides affordable housing.

She praised Teagarden's performance.

"I wasn't interested in challenging him," Sanchez said. "I thought he was doing an excellent job."

She has a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Riverside, a master's degree from California State University, Sacramento and a doctorate in organization leadership from the University of LaVerne.

Sanchez began her career as a bilingual teacher at Cedar Lane School in the Marysville Joint Unified School District. Later, She was assistant principal and principal at Linda Elementary School.