[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 172 (Thursday, November 3, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1101]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CELEBRATING ROSALINDA ``LINDA'' CANLAS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ERIC SWALWELL

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 3, 2022

  Mr. SWALWELL. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize New Haven Unified 
School Board Trustee Linda Canlas on the occasion of her retirement on 
November 30, 2022.
  Linda immigrated from the Philippines to the United States in 1970 
and became a naturalized citizen at 18 years old. She graduated with a 
Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University East Bay in 
Liberal Arts with an emphasis in History and obtained her California 
State Teaching Credential. After spending some time in the classroom, 
Linda received a master's degree in Educational Leadership and a 
professional school administrative credential from the State of 
California.
  After beginning her teaching career in Norfolk, Virginia, Linda 
returned to the Bay Area to teach in the Newark Unified School District 
and remained there until 1996. During this time, Linda served her 
students in various capacities as a teacher, district student at-risk/
support services coordinator, district performing arts coordinator, 
mentor teacher, and vice principal. Linda then served as a principal in 
Hayward Unified School District until 2016. Under Linda's leadership, 
two public elementary schools were able to significantly raise their 
academic performance, demonstrating her commitment to upholding 
California curriculum standards and Common Core implementation.
  Linda was first elected as a Board Trustee for New Haven Unified 
School District in 2010 and was reelected in 2014 and 2018. During her 
three terms on the board, she served in the roles of clerk and board 
president, all while earning another master's degree in Governance from 
the California School Boards Association. One of her passion projects 
while a trustee was to rename a middle school in honor of co-founders 
of the United Farm Workers movement, Larry ltliong and Phillip Vera 
Cruz. Thanks to her efforts, Itliong-Vera Cruz Middle School is the 
first public school in the country to be named after a Filipino-
American.
  Outside her official duties on the Board, Linda has been an active 
advocate for education in the community. She is a board member for the 
New Haven Schools Foundation, she has been President of the Alameda 
County School Boards Association since 2017 and has been a member of 
the East Bay Coalition for Public Education Leadership Team since 2019. 
She is also an active Filipino American National Historical Society 
member and serves on the Board of the Ukulele Festival of Northern 
California. Because of her history of contributions to education, 
governance, and community, in 2017, Linda was recognized by the 
Filipina Women's Network as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina 
Women in the world.
  For over three decades, Linda Canlas has played a pivotal role in 
ensuring quality education for the students of California's 15th 
congressional district. I join the community in celebrating the many 
achievements of her career and wish her rest and relaxation with her 
husband, Dennis, and her daughters, Camille and Jacqueline, as she 
begins her retirement.

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