The Bassett Unified School District Board of Education on Nov. 18 held a ceremony recognizing Superintendent Alejandro Alvarez’s five years leading the district and later appointed Dr. Julie Harrison as interim superintendent effective Dec. 1, 2025.

Students, parents, teachers and district staff filled the boardroom and several speakers praised Alvarez for stabilizing district finances and advancing facilities and student services. Jesse Durkin of Think Together, principals and union leadership thanked Alvarez for raising teacher pay, restoring community trust and delivering projects including a new aquatic center and updated HVAC systems. Carla Mahaffey, president of the Bassett Teachers Association, sent a written message read into the record thanking Alvarez for “taking meaningful steps towards raising Bassett’s teacher salaries.”

In his remarks Alvarez reflected on the district’s recovery, saying, “I love Bassett,” and describing efforts to close out outstanding facilities projects, resolve findings from audits, and restore fiscal contingency while increasing compensation for employees. He told the board he appreciated the community’s support and said he would remain available to the district during the transition.

After a closed‑session discussion the board announced it had approved, on a motion by Board Member Simentpal and second by Board Member Rivera, the appointment of Dr. Julie Harrison as interim superintendent, with the clerk reporting a 5–0 vote. Dr. Harrison thanked the board for the confidence and said she would prioritize stability and student learning during the transition, stating she “takes that responsibility very seriously.”

Board members said the district will begin a formal recruitment process for a permanent superintendent in the coming months and emphasized continuity of the board’s student‑first goals. The board recessed briefly for photos and refreshments following the recognitions and then reconvened to complete remaining agenda items.