Lucille Cody

San Juan School Board candidate, District 5
Lucille Cody has spent 20 years working as a school liaison and 30 years as a bus driver in San Juan County.
She currently works as a family resource facilitator in the county, which allows her to work closely with parents and children in District 4, specifically those struggling with behavioral issues, mental illness and learning disabilities .
Cody has deep roots in the county; she and her two children attended Whitehorse High School. Her father, Ben Whitehorse, donated the property for the high school.
“I’m running because I love the kids, and I love working with students,” she said. “If they have problems or issues going on, I always listen. One strong foundation we stand on is our culture.”
Cody has grown up and lived on reservation land, which helps her relate to the struggles many students experience. As a family resource facilitator, she works closely with families to better advise them on how to help their children succeed. She has managed cases in which students experience domestic violence, drug abuse and mental illness. If elected, Cody wants to serve as a liaison between the school and the parents to recognize their children’s diverse needs.
She notes some students from District 4 are performing less proficiently than the rest of the
district and attributes that to teacher retention rates and a lack of parent engagement. As a former bus
driver, Cody also recognized the need for better roads to take children to school,
especially those who live on the reservation.
“It is hard for families to bring their kids to the main bus stop,” she said,
noting how some families live miles and miles away from the closest school.
Cody also recognizes the lack of familial support some students might
experience and believes she can utilize her Navajo background to better connect with her constituents.