Napa Valley Unified School District Wins Prestigious "Governance Team of the Year" Golden Gavel Award from CSBA

December 3, 2025 – The Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD) Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Rosanna Mucetti were honored today with the Golden Gavel Award and recognized as the "Governance Team of the Year" by the California School Board's Association (CSBA). This statewide recognition celebrates NVUSD's unwavering commitment to effective governance, student achievement, and community leadership.

The CSBA’s Golden Gavel award program utilizes rigorous Board Governance Standards, evaluating teams on their ability to govern effectively and maintain a singular focus on the success of all students. 

"The Napa Valley Unified School District’s Board of Education operates on the core belief that strong, unified governance is central to our ability to educate every child successfully,” shared NVUSD Superintendent Dr. Rosanna Mucetti. “We have intentionally built a comprehensive governance framework—from our Governance Handbook and Annual Board Priorities to our shared operational norms and CSBA Master of Governance commitment—that ensures our focus remains singular: data-driven, student-centered decision-making. 

“At a time when many school boardrooms are contentious, our Trustees are unwavering in their commitment to in-depth training and rigorous onboarding, which allows them to work effectively and collaboratively while advocating for our students at every level,” Dr. Mucetti continued. “This disciplined approach is not just best practice. It has been validated by other organizations, including the California Collaborative for District Reform, whose research showcased how the NVUSD Governance Team maintains focus amidst the complex challenges of district leadership."

NVUSD Trustee and President Eve Ryser expressed profound gratitude and pride in the team’s achievement. “Our disciplined commitment to strengthening effective governance has enabled us to navigate complex and challenging issues as a unified board,” stated Ryser. “This level of alignment and clarity has allowed us to support our district team in advancing student achievement, expanding opportunities for all students, and delivering on our promise of excellence. For that reason, we accept this award as inspiration to continue our work—we are proud to be a model of effective, student-first governance.”

The Golden Gavel is the highest honor a California school governance team can receive from the California School Boards Association. For more information about the Golden Gavel Awards or NVUSD, please visit nvusd.org or csba.org