Eureka Schools Board President Jessica Rebholtz Resigns, Creating Trustee Area 5 Vacancy

Jessica Rebholtz submitted a letter of resignation to Eureka City Schools on February 12, 2026, with the district listing the resignation as effective February 13, 2026, creating a vacancy for Trustee Area 5 on the Board of Trustees. Rebholtz has served as Board President and was most recently elected to a term that runs through November 2026; the district said any replacement will serve the remainder of that term.

In her resignation letter, Rebholtz wrote, "As I will be moving out of the area in the spring, I need to dedicate this time to focusing on my family and preparing for this transition. While this was not an easy decision, I believe it is the right one for my family at this time." The Lost Coast Outpost published that excerpt as an update following the district notice.

The district issued a formal NOTICE with application instructions: "NOTICE is hereby given that all qualified persons who would like to apply for the open position on the Board of Trustees for Eureka City Schools, Trustee Area 5, may contact Eureka City Schools, c/o Gary Storts, Superintendent (stortsg@eurekacityschools.org), for a candidate information sheet. All candidate information sheets (original copies) must be submitted on or before Friday, March 20, 2026, no later than 4:00 p.m., to the Superintendent’s Office of Eureka City Schools (2100 J Street, Eureka, CA 95501 – Room 108)." The press release reiterates the Board's statement that the replacement will serve the remainder of Rebholtz’s term and that the Board is hopeful the successful candidate will run for re-election in November 2026.

Local coverage and the district's Trustee Area materials point to geographic eligibility for the seat. Lost Coast Outpost highlighted a Trustee Area map showing an "orange area" that marks Trustee Area 5 and asked readers, "Do you live in the orange area? If so, you might be eligible to serve on the Eureka City Schools Board of Trustees." The district press release itself used the phrase "all qualified persons"; the map detail was published by Lost Coast Outpost using district-provided graphics.

The vacancy appears in the broader board packet and meeting records. Draft minutes from the January 15, 2026 regular meeting list the Frances H. Taplin Board Room at the district office as the venue and note members present that night as Johnson, Ollivier, and Bones, with Trustees Pardoe and Rebholtz absent; the draft is footnoted "Not Official Until Approved on February 12, 2026." The packet that accompanied board materials included Personnel Report No. 7 dated February 12, 2026, which lists certificated resignation Daysy Ferreira Cendeja (Teacher, Winzler Children’s Center) effective February 6, 2026, and classified resignations including Mark Brooks (English Learner Technician and Student Services Coordinator at Winship).

The district did not specify in its notice whether the Board will fill the seat by appointment or call a special election; an earlier report notes the seat must be filled by appointment or special election depending on legal timelines and board decisions. For candidate packets and clarification the district listed Superintendent Gary Storts as the contact at stortsg@eurekacityschools.org and asked applicants to submit original candidate information sheets to Superintendent’s Office, 2100 J Street, Eureka, CA 95501, Room 108 by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, March 20, 2026. The vacancy will leave Trustee Area 5 without its elected representative until the Board fills the seat and the replacement serves through November 2026.