Vince Hobbs is continuing the fight.

He’s referring to the ongoing challenge of making tough decisions during the unprecedented times of COVID-19 as a school board member of the Ripon Unified School District.

“There’s been plenty of collateral damage since we went to distance learning,” said Hobbs, who was recently elected to a two-year term.

He’s referring to those at-risk, special needs and others suffering academically and even psychologically from not having the regular in-person instructions during the stay-at-home period.

“We’re fortunate that our Superintendent (Ziggy Robeson) and her staff have already identified this learning gap – we’re planners (at RUSD),” he said on Wednesday.

That same group twice put together successful waivers to have traditional kindergarten- through- eighth- grade students back in the classroom in September. RUSD was the only public schools on that list.

As for Hobbs, he was no stranger to RUSD when he was appointed to the provisional seat in October 2019. He and his wife of over 30 years, Stephanie, were the co-founders of the Ripon Community Athletic Foundation some 13 years ago.

He’s served as both a mentor with Ripon High’s Leadership program, track & field coach for the Indians, and was on the RUSD Facilities Master Planning Committee.

Hobbs retired not too long ago from the Hayward Fire Department. He was there for over 30 years, serving as a Battalion Chief of Emergency Management and Special Projects.

Yet he’s as a busy as ever as a consultant, school board member, parent, grandparent and husband, not necessarily in that order.

With RCAF, Hobbs and the $2 million grassroots RHS Stadium Revitalization group are nearing the end of their efforts.

Construction is underway by CT Brayton & Sons on the $1.2 million Bathroom / Bleacher Modernization Project – the collaborative effort of RCAF and RUSD.

Hobbs indicated the CT Brayton will also handle the Gateway Project, which a 14-foot wide, ADA-compliant walkway from the Stouffer Field entrance to North Acacia Avenue. Included are outdoor lighting, benches and trees.

His appointment to the school board was prior to the pandemic.

In March, RUSD and other schools throughout the state were forced to shut down and go to a distance learning plan.

“It’s been a challenge,” said Hobbs, who poured through 16 different documents all related to the coronavirus during Tuesday’s special board meeting.

It’s also been frustrating given some of contradictory information from those studies, he added.

Either way, Hobbs and his colleagues on the school board are taking on the ever-changing challenges ahead.

“We haven’t finished. That’s the reason I’m here. It’s for the fight ahead,” he said on his successful election campaign.

Any success will undoubtedly take a team effort, said Hobbs.