The final two board meetings of the year closed with student and staff recognitions, a new Facilities Master Plan, and a four year contract for incoming Superintendent Dr. Austin. Records requests and a letter from the Orange County District Attorney are now part of the public record.

FUEL Forward PAC is here to power the Flip the Board campaign and elect Joan Malczewski, Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal, and Kimberly Smith to the LBUSD school board. Donors and Volunteers are standing together for transparent, student centered leadership, and we need you with us.

Since the May 12 and May 14 board meetings, we have heard from hundreds of parents, educators, alumni, and community members. The response has been overwhelming, and it has reinforced what we already knew: this community cares deeply about its schools.

Over the past two weeks, we have spent our time listening, researching, and reviewing what has been shared with us. We are sharing what we have learned because transparency matters, and because this community deserves to understand how we arrived at this moment.

After serving as an inaugural board member and FUEL President this past year, Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal has formally stepped down. Emily Rolfing has stepped in as FUEL President, and the work heading into November continues without pause.

In closed session, the board appointed an interim superintendent and voted 3 to 2 to name Don Austin the next superintendent, effective July 1. No public notice. No community input. No opportunity for families, staff, or residents to weigh in.

Our ask is simple. Join us tomorrow in solidarity for our students, our staff, and one another, and help send a signal that this community is ready to course correct.

In a 3 to 2 vote, the board majority approved a mutual separation agreement ending Dr. Jason Glass's tenure less than a year into the role, the third superintendent lost in eighteen months. Our hearts are with Dr. Glass and his family tonight.

This is a documented pattern of decisions made behind closed doors, with no report to the public and no accountability. An Employee Discipline item has appeared in closed session five times without explanation.

Last Thursday, over 400 people marched in solidarity for LBUSD staff and students. Hours later, the board met. No report out of closed session. No acknowledgment of the staff listening report. And before the meeting, a Substack publication posted an AI-generated image of a FUEL President Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal holding a bloody ax. Here is what our community needs to know and how you can help.

Our recap of the April 9 LBUSD board meeting is live. This meeting included a fourth consecutive closed session with an Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release item and no report out, continued discussion of the district communications plan, a staffing update, and encouraging community bond survey results. Read the full recap and stay informed.

The March 26 LBUSD board meeting covered restorative practices, student wellbeing data, and a district communications plan that reflects strong staff work. El Morro Elementary showed remarkable student growth. Tonight, April 9, the board takes up a community bond survey, staffing and class sizes, and a governance committee review. FUEL breaks it all down.

FUEL President Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal addresses the board majority's pattern of framing decisions around taxpayer contributions. The way we honor taxpayers is not by repeatedly invoking how much money they contribute. The way we honor them is by delivering what they are actually paying for — an exceptional public education system.

Tonight is a regular board meeting at Thurston Middle School, with open session beginning at 6 p.m. Here is what FUEL is watching closely as the evening unfolds.

The March 12 board meeting brought student voices, a union president in tears, a financial health update, and serious questions about how district communications are being directed. FUEL breaks it all down and shares what it means for our community.

The numbers do not lie. FUEL breaks down the financial figures at the center of recent community frustration and explains what they actually mean for LBUSD students and families.

SchoolPower has supported Laguna Beach schools for 45 years. FUEL formed in early 2025 in response to governance concerns. They are entirely separate organizations with different missions. FUEL board member and SchoolPower trustee Iva Pawling sets the record straight.

FUEL formed in early 2025 when a group of Laguna Beach parents asked a simple question: who is holding our school board accountable? Meet the 500+ families behind the movement and learn how you can be part of it.

The February 26 board meeting raised serious questions about transparency, including an unscheduled closed-session superintendent evaluation with no report out to the community. Here is what happened, what is on the agenda for March 12, and why your presence matters.

A powerful reminder that the educators in our schools are shaping more than academics. They are building the next generation of empathetic, engaged community members. This letter deserves to be read widely.

The February 12 board meeting ran seven hours and ended at 1:00 a.m. Board Bylaw 9322 passed 3-2, despite opposition from the superintendent, both unions, and all written public comment. Before the recap, FUEL flags something urgent about what is on the agenda this Thursday.