Cody Hess joins Plumas Lake School Board

Cody Hess has officially joined the Plumas Lake Elementary School District (PLESD) board following his successful election in November 2024. The newly elected school board member brings a commitment to educational excellence and community advocacy to one of Yuba County's growing school districts.

Early Start in School Board Leadership

Hess's path to the Plumas Lake Elementary school board began earlier than his November election date. Selected in July 2024 to replace a departing board member, Hess gained valuable hands-on experience before voters officially elected him to serve alongside fellow newcomer John Barnes. The current PLESD board now includes Hess, Barnes, Angie Covil, Aaron Cask, and Veronica Brown.

Community Involvement Begins with Family Move

In 2022, Cody Hess and his family relocated from Vallejo to Plumas Lake, seeking better opportunities in Yuba County. Upon enrolling their son at Riverside Meadows Intermediate, part of the Plumas Lake Elementary School District, the family quickly identified critical overcrowding issues affecting local schools.

Rather than remaining passive observers, Hess and his wife immediately engaged in community advocacy. They actively supported the 2022 school bond campaign, which aimed to fund construction of a new middle school to address overcrowding across PLESD's three existing campuses.

Understanding Plumas Lake School District Challenges

"My wife and I really believed in this place where we'd moved," Hess explained about their decision to get involved in Plumas Lake education issues. "I knew overcrowding was an issue and I wanted to be a part of shaping our schools in Plumas Lake."

School Bond Measure Defeats Present Ongoing Challenges

Despite strong community organizing efforts, both the 2022 and 2024 Plumas Lake Elementary school bond measures failed to secure voter approval. These defeats particularly frustrated education advocates like Hess, who observed growing community support for school improvements during the 2024 election cycle.

The bond measure failures reflect broader political trends affecting Yuba County educational funding. Hess noted "a growing anti-government sentiment" and "anti-school sentiment" that has made educational funding initiatives increasingly difficult to pass in the Plumas Lake area.

Impact on Teachers and Students

"We have to give our teachers and our kids the support they need," Hess emphasized. "That's why we felt like we let them down this last election." Despite these setbacks, PLESD has committed to building a smaller school facility that can expand into a full middle school over the next 30 years.

Education and Career Qualifications

Cody Hess brings substantial professional credentials to his volunteer position on the Plumas Lake Elementary school board. With a background in marketing, he has transitioned into public outreach work and currently serves the Sacramento Metro Air Quality Agency.

His recent master's degree in public administration from California State University, East Bay, provides additional expertise in governmental operations and educational policy implementation. This combination of marketing experience and public administration knowledge positions him well to navigate complex school district challenges.

Personal Investment in Community Education

As parents of a high school-age son and five-month-old daughter, Hess and his wife have direct stakes in Plumas Lake's educational future. Their global perspective, gained through visits to 40 countries together, brings international awareness to local educational discussions.

Improving Parent-Teacher Communication

Hess envisions his school board role as facilitating crucial communication: "We have a responsibility and we're in a pretty pivotal role to act as a means of communication between those two groups. We represent the families and we also are here to serve the teachers."

His commitment to maintaining relationships built during recent election cycles demonstrates understanding that sustainable educational improvement requires ongoing community engagement beyond individual campaign outcomes.

Supporting Plumas Lake Education Despite Setbacks

Moving forward, the new PLESD board member remains focused on supporting both educators and students within existing resource constraints. His experience with bond measure campaigns provides valuable insight into community concerns about educational funding and governance.

Cody Hess's addition to the Plumas Lake Elementary School District board represents fresh leadership committed to educational excellence in Yuba County. Despite facing challenges with bond measure defeats and community divisions, his professional background and community advocacy experience position him to help navigate the district's future growth and development needs.