I W'iish it Weren't So

Perusing the agenda for the NUSD Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 7...

Wait a minute, you mean you don't spend every other Friday afternoon or early Saturday morning reading what's going to happen at the next board meeting? That might just explain a lot. You have heard me quote my mantra frequently, right? I think it's the same one Toni Shroyer uses. "Pay attention or pay the price."

Paying attention Saturday morning, I got to one of the most frequently compelling parts of the consent agenda: the Personnel Actions. The first item on the list was the resignation of Iishwara Ryaru, NUSD's director of accountability, effective Feb. 17. My first thought was "Bummer." My second thought was "Of course it was going to happen eventually."

I do not know "Iish" at all. I have heard him make many board presentations, and I have attended school site meetings where he has provided information, and I have asked him once or twice for information via email. In every instance, I have found him to be straight-forward, responsive, attentive and just about every other positive attribute you could assign someone in a business or governmental setting. His manner and actions and, if you will, aura make him stand out within the school district. Everyone I associate with -- mostly low-rent district watchers like myself -- has only ever said positive things about him.

So, yeah, "Bummer" was my first thought. And, so, yeah, "Of course it was going to happen eventually" was my second thought because he's that good.

I'm sure we'll hear soon enough where he's headed. I'm guessing it's on to bigger and better things for him. I'm just sorry that bigger and better couldn't happen for him here.