At its Thursday meeting, the Governing Board of the Benicia Unified School District bid farewell to longtime Trustee Andre Stewart.

Stewart, then a chief officer for Napa medical insurance organization The Doctors Company, was appointed to the board in 2006 following the resignation of Jamie Blomdal. In that time— including a brief tenure as board president—, he has been an advocate for fiscal solvency, improving vocational education offerings, and strengthening relationships among parents, district employees and students, among other things.

The other four trustees— all of whom arrived after Stewart—praised him for helping them get acquainted with the Governing Board process.

“I’m here because of Andre,” President Gary Wing said. “When I was thinking about running for school board, I talked with Andre and when I left talking with him, I said ‘Yep, that’s how I’m gonna run for the school board.’ I haven’t regretted it, and his friendship and his knowledge of the directions of the district, the big help with the medical benefits and everything you’ve done for us, I greatly appreciate it.”

Trustee Diane Ferrucci had a similar story.

“One of the things that stood out for me that I always appreciated about you was when I first started coming to the board meetings because I wanted to run and you reached out to me and were so welcoming and so kind to me, and I never forgot that,” she said.

Trustee Peter Morgan praised Stewart’s friendship.

“Andre’s been a really good friend in the process,” he said. “When I came to the board, Andre really mentored me and taught me the ropes and was gracious in a sense that I hope to carry on for Andre.”

“Clearly there’s a theme,” Trustee Stacy Holguin said. “We’ve all been mentored into this role with your help, and I do appreciate all the tips and everything you’ve offered along the way as I sat down here.”

Superintendent Charles Young praised Stewart’s dedication to the district and unique thinking, describing him as “very dedicated about the work and the kids and education.”

“You’re a creative out of the box thinker,” he told Stewart. “Often times I’ll have an idea that I thought was very clever, and over lunch, Andre would put me on a path to think a little more clearly about where I was going with the idea. He’s also pushed us on a number of occasions to think about the next step. What else could this look like?”

Young also commended the sense of humor and joy that Stewart brought to the board.

After the remarks from his colleagues, Stewart expressed what a privilege it had been to serve the district and noted that about 20 percent of the town had graduated during his tenure.

“When I first came to the board, my goal was to improve the district and learn about it,” he said. “(Then-Superintendent) Janice (Adams) did a great job of mentoring me back into the real world. Then it shifted into trying to reduce the damage, and I found out that trying to reduce the damage was more difficult than trying to enhance. Luckily, we’re now in a period of enhancement, which is good.”

Stewart’s final request was for parents to hold their legislators accountable on educational issues.

“Please make your legislators at the state and federal level do their jobs,” he said. “We have teachers scrambling over 1 percent, 2 percent, 3 percent. That shouldn’t be happening. You saw every referendum out there talk about ‘For the schools.’ We don’t get that money.”

“Look at how your money is spent for education, and make people accountable because they exploit our children with every referendum by saying ‘This is for kids,’ and it doesn’t come to the kids,’” he added. “A lot of really great work is coming in by many people to give your kids really great education, but with a new administration coming in, it’s gonna change. We have to compete, and make people put their money where their mouth is.”

Stewart closed out by saying he loves serving the district and hopes to continue to help any way he can.

Stewart was succeeded by Celeste Monnette who participated in the rest of the meeting. Monnette, along with newly reappointed trustees Holguin and Wing, were sworn in with an oath administered by Jay Speck, the outgoing Solano County Superintendent of Schools.

In other business, Wing and Ferrucci were confirmed to continue serving as president and clerk respectively. Additionally, the board voted to approve the review and file of independent audits for the district and Measure S bond funds.

The board will next meet, Thursday, Jan. 5