Sherry Wangenheim, a trustee of the Reed Union School District, officially resigned on December 31, 2023, after serving on the board for eight years. Wangenheim, who was first appointed in late 2017, cited her family’s upcoming move out of the country in June as the reason for her departure. In a letter addressed to education officials, she expressed her gratitude for the experiences gained during her tenure, stating, “I will truly value this experience for the rest of my life. I am proud of the things we have accomplished working together.”
Wangenheim held the position of board president during multiple terms, specifically in 2020, 2021, and 2025. Her resignation opens a vacancy that the board must address within 60 days. According to Shelby Tsai, the current board president, the board will meet on January 13, 2024, to determine whether to appoint an interim replacement for the remainder of Wangenheim’s term, which is set to expire in November 2024, or to conduct a special election.
Tsai praised Wangenheim’s leadership, saying, “Sherry always put the best interests of the students, staff, and families of this district at the forefront of each decision and led with tremendous integrity and compassion.” Under her guidance, the district focused on addressing structural achievement gaps and fostering safe, inclusive learning environments.
During her time on the board, Wangenheim ran unopposed in the 2018 elections and successfully secured a seat in a competitive four-way race for three positions in 2022. Her campaign emphasized the need for students to recover academically, socially, and emotionally from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also advocated for improved facilities planning and fiscal responsibility within the district.
A resident of Tiburon since 2002, Wangenheim has four children who attended schools within the Reed Union district. Before her election to the board, she was actively involved as a volunteer at local schools and served on the board of the district’s parent-teacher association.
The Reed Union School District serves approximately 1,100 students from transitional kindergarten through eighth grade at Bel Aire Elementary School, Reed Elementary School, and Del Mar Middle School. The district encompasses students from families in Tiburon, Belvedere, and a section of east Corte Madera. As the board navigates this transition, community members will be watching closely to see how they choose to fill the vacancy left by Wangenheim’s departure.
