FUEL Statement on the Interim Superintendent and Permanent Superintendent
Dear FUEL Community,
FUEL Statement on the Installation of LBUSD Interim Superintendent and Permanent Superintendent
Tonight, the LBUSD Board majority made two of the most consequential decisions a school board can make, and they did it behind closed doors.
In closed session, the board voted to appoint Manoj Roychowdhury as interim superintendent. Then, in a 3-2 vote, they approved a contract naming Don Austin as the next superintendent of LBUSD, effective July 1.
No public notice. No community input. No opportunity for the families, staff, and residents of this district to weigh in on the single most important hiring decision a school board makes.
Here is what makes this worse.
The closed session ended around 5:50 PM. The next portion of the meeting began around 6:00 PM. At 6:29 PM, a ParentSquare message went out to the entire district community from the Board President.
That message was not a brief notice. It was a fully produced press release, complete with prepared quotes from Board President Sheri Morgan, prepared quotes from Dr. Austin himself, multiple paragraphs of background, and a media contact line listing Morgan's direct phone number and email address.
That press release was not written in 39 minutes. It was not written after the meeting. It was written before it.
What that timeline tells us is this: while the community was left completely in the dark, Board President Morgan was coordinating outside of closed session with the incoming superintendent to craft communications around a predetermined outcome. The vote was a formality. The decision had already been made.
We want to be clear about something. This is not a commentary on Don Austin's qualifications. His record speaks for itself and we wish him well. This is about how this decision was made, and what it reveals about how this board majority continues to operate.
Transparency is not optional. Stakeholder voice is not a courtesy. And a board that hides predetermined outcomes behind closed session procedures is not serving this community. It is controlling it.
FUEL will continue to document this pattern. We will continue to show up. And we will keep working toward a board that governs the way this community deserves.
November is coming. We hope to see many of you at the Farmers Market this Saturday.
With Resolve, FUEL Board
A Statement from FUEL | Families Unified for Education in Laguna
We are devastated.
Tonight, in a 3-2 vote, the LBUSD Board Majority approved a mutual separation agreement with our Superintendent , Dr. Jason Glass, ending his tenure not even a year into the role. This marks the third superintendent our district has lost in just 18 months.
Dr. Glass came to this district exceptionally qualified for this role, with decades of experience leading large and complex school systems and a clear vision for the future of public education. Our hearts are with Dr. Glass, his wife, and his family tonight. They did not deserve this.
And sadly, this outcome is not a surprise. It is exactly what FUEL has been warning this community about since our founding. We have watched this board majority systematically consolidate control of this district one bylaw change, one closed session, one governance restructuring at a time. Teachers and staff have felt it. Families have witnessed it. Tonight was simply the clearest expression yet of where this has all been heading - they are dismantling our District.
There is no version of a high-performing district where cycling through three superintendents in 18 months is considered normal, healthy, or sustainable. Many in this community, even those who disagreed on other issues, had rallied behind Dr. Glass and saw in him a path toward stability, professionalism, and moving LBUSD forward.
Instead, this power-driven Board Majority has chosen continued chaos.
November cannot come soon enough.
With Resolve, FUEL Board
What is happening at LBUSD right now
Dear FUEL Community,
We are writing to you today with information that is time sensitive and consequential. Please read this in full.
A Pattern That Demands Attention
This district is at a critical moment. What we share below is not speculation. It is a documented pattern of decisions being made behind closed doors, without transparency, without a report out to the public, and without accountability.
In January 2026, this board majority conducted an unplanned superintendent evaluation in closed session. It was not on the regular evaluation schedule. It was not announced in advance. Since that time, the agenda item Public Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release has appeared in closed session five times. Each time, the board has provided no report out to the public beyond a single standard dismissal. The community has been given no information about what was discussed, what was decided, or what action, if any, was taken.
This week, the board called a special meeting with less than 24 hours notice. (EDIT: This email was drafted prior to the agenda release at 1:30 p.m. on Monday 5/11) The agenda, released Monday afternoon for Tuesday’s special meeting, includes a closed session with Public Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release on the agenda. Again. For the sixth time.
This is not routine.
A strong, stable, effective superintendent is one of the most important assets a school district can have. The research on this is not ambiguous. Districts that lose strong leadership mid-cycle face real and lasting consequences for students, staff, and community trust. We have watched this board work to incrementally reduce superintendent authority through bylaw changes and governance restructuring. We have watched closed session after closed session pass without a word to the public. We are deeply concerned about what this means for the future of LBUSD and for the students, staff, and families who depend on this district every single day.
Mark Your Calendar
Special Board Meeting: TOMORROW, May 12 | Closed Session: 2:30 p.m. | Open Session/Budget Study Session: 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. | LBUSD District Office, 550 Blumont Street
The agenda includes a closed session with a Public Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release item followed by a budget study session. The public may submit comment electronically in advance.
Submit Public Comment for May 12 | Link to Agenda
If you can be there, be there. Your presence matters.
Regular Board Meeting: Thursday, May 14 | Open session begins at 6:00 p.m. | Thurston Middle School Library | Link to Agenda | Link to Public Comment Form
The board will hold two required public hearings: one on the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) for the year ending June 30, 2027, and one on the district budget for the same period. The draft LCAP reflects input through May 1 and will continue to be revised before final adoption in June. Your voice at this hearing can still shape the final plan.
Read the draft, submit feedback using the link below, and show up Thursday.
LCAP and Budget Information: lbusd.org/about/lcap | Submit LCAP Feedback
Farmers Market: Saturday, May 16 | Come find us at the Laguna Beach Farmers Market. Say hello, bring a neighbor, and learn more about what FUEL is working on. Sign up to Volunteer HERE.
How Are Our Students and Schools Doing?
Superintendent Glass published a detailed community article this week benchmarking LBUSD's performance across the district's three goals. It is worth reading in full. Here are the highlights.
On college and career readiness, LBUSD students scored 77.5% proficient in ELA and 72.1% in math on the 2025 state assessment, making LBUSD the highest performing unified school district in Orange County in both subjects and placing us in the top 4% of all unified districts in California. The Class of 2025 graduated at a 97.5% rate. 85% had already earned college credit before leaving our schools.
On social emotional outcomes, suspension rates have fallen from 2.9% in 2023-24 to 1.0% as of April 2026, well below both the state rate of 3.3% and the national rate. Chronic absenteeism climbed midyear and the district responded with targeted family outreach. It has come back down to 9.7% and remains a focus.
On safe and equitable schools, 90% of LBUSD 9th graders report feeling safe at school. Statewide that number is 58%. Achievement gaps for students with disabilities, English learners, and economically disadvantaged students remain a priority and the data shows real progress being made.
Dr. Glass is clear that strong results are not a reason to stop improving. The district is actively studying higher performing schools to learn from them.
April 30 Governance Meeting Recap
Enrollment and Interdistrict Transfers
This was a continuation item from April 16 and one of the most substantive conversations we have seen at a board meeting this year.
The data matters. LBUSD is at a 35-year enrollment low. The median age in Laguna Beach is 52.5. The birth rate is less than half the state average. Kindergarten classes of roughly 150 students are replacing graduating classes of roughly 220. This is not a cyclical dip. It is a structural demographic shift.
The proposal on the table is modest. It would expand interdistrict transfer eligibility to children of employees of designated community partners including the city, ECAD, and the College of Art and Design. The city component includes fire, police, and lifeguards. Both the city and ECAD have already expressed enthusiasm. Student board representatives Logan and Ivy spoke supportively. The board's direction was to proceed carefully and develop a comprehensive plan. No action was taken.
Bond Consultant Agreement
The board voted 5-0 to approve an agreement with Team CIVX for bond communications consulting. This is standard practice. The consultant's role is informational, helping shape a potential ballot measure based on community priorities. It is not advocacy. Once a measure is on the ballot the district steps back entirely. The board approves all final language and bond counsel will guide what can and cannot be said throughout the process.
The discussion was more complicated than the decision warranted. The unanimous vote reflected what the evidence supported.
FUEL's View: Our schools need investment and the community deserves a clear, honest picture of what that means. We support moving this forward.
Ad Hoc Governance Committee
The board voted 4-1 to revise the existing ad hoc governance committee, adopting a superseding document brought forward by Trustee Hills. Trustee Malczewski voted no.
Her objection was substantive and worth understanding. Her position is that governance discussions, particularly those touching on board bylaws and the structure of how this district operates, belong in public where the community can observe them as they unfold. The previous board reviewed bylaws annually in open public session. A committee that meets outside of public view and brings recommendations back to the board for a vote is a different model entirely.
This concern does not exist in isolation. We have now seen the arts committee, the transportation committee, and the facilities master plan committee all operate outside of public session and bring budget recommendations directly into the LCAP and budget cycle. Each of those committees did meaningful work. But the public had no window into the deliberations that shaped those recommendations. They arrived as finished packages that may be duplicating efforts happening at the District.
A governance committee operating the same way raises the stakes considerably. Bylaws are not programs. They are the rules that govern how everything else gets decided. And based on what was said openly in this meeting, part of the intent is to revisit the balance of authority between the board and the superintendent. Trustee Hills argued directly that under Ed Code 35161 the superintendent's authority derives from board delegation and that the board retains ultimate responsibility. That is a significant position with significant implications for how this district is run.
FUEL's View: We believe in community engagement and we value the work that community members put into these committees. But community engagement is not the same as public process. The community deserves to watch consequential decisions take shape, not just receive the finished product. We will be paying close attention to how this committee operates and whether its work remains visible to the people it ultimately affects.
Help Us Show Our Coalition
We believe this will be a consequential week for our district and its future. The decisions made in the next few days will have lasting implications for our students, our staff, and the community that has invested in these schools for generations.
We are asking you to show up in whatever capacity you can.
Join Us
Follow along on Social Media
Instagram: @FUELLaguna
Facebook: @FUELLaguna
Reach out to board@fuellaguna.org with questions, connections, or to grab a coffee!
Say hi at the Farmers Market on Saturday!
Thank you for your support!
One LBUSD. One Community. April 16, 2026 Board Meeting Recap.
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.
One LBUSD. One Community. Together.
Last Thursday, something beautiful happened on Park Avenue.
Over 400 people walked together toward Main Beach, organized by CSEA and LaBUFA. Teachers. Staff. Retired educators who gave decades to this community. Students. Parents. Neighbors. People who have never been to a board meeting, but knew in their bones this moment mattered.
It was not a protest. It was a declaration. A celebration of LBUSD: students, teachers, staff, families, and community. The unions had no financial asks. This was an invitation to the larger Laguna Beach community to see the people who are joining together in this important moment. An ask for unity and respect.
To every person who walked: thank you. To every person who wanted to be there but could not: we felt you. To every educator and staff member who keeps showing up for our children every single day: you are family. We see you and we stand with you.
Thursday was proof of what we can do together. As One LBUSD, One Community.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.
April 16, 2026 Board Meeting Recap
The board met just hours after the rally. Here is a high level look at what was covered, followed by the items our community needs to understand more deeply.
A senior at Laguna Beach High School stepped up during public comment to address misinformation being spread in our community. She spoke with clarity, confidence, and conviction, noting that student and teacher voices are being ignored and that board decisions directly affect her experience and the experience of students for years to come. We are proud of every young person in this district who is paying attention and using their voice. It is a testament to what we are all capable of when we support and nurture this community together. (Timestamp 00:04:25)
The Facilities Master Plan process is wrapping up with a bond consultant presentation planned for June 4. Community engagement in that process is ongoing.
The LCAP Community Participation session is April 30 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at LBHS. Childcare is provided. "The Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) is a tool for local educational agencies to develop goals, plan actions, and leverage resources to meet identified goals to improve student outcomes." Your input directly shapes how this district moves forward. Link to Register: LINK
The Ad Hoc Arts Committee presented interim budget recommendations including a district VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts) coordinator, expanded community partnerships, and professional development integration. The board voted unanimously to refer these into the LCAP process for the 2026-27 budget cycle.
The Ad Hoc Transportation Committee reported meaningful progress on bus safety, communication, and access. Bus monitors and a CTE micro-transit pilot were referred into the LCAP process. The vote was 5-0.
Interdistrict transfer eligibility was presented as a discussion item only. No board action was taken. The full discussion was tabled for a future meeting. Enrollment at LBHS is approximately 818 students and, as is the trend nationally, declining. This conversation matters and our community should engage with it when it returns.
The board approved a legal services agreement with Morgan, Lewis and Bockius LLP related to an AB 218 insurance responsibility case. The vote was 3-2.
A community member raised an important concern during public comment. In 2022, the board passed a resolution committing LBUSD to carbon neutrality by 2030 and the district developed a comprehensive Energy Master Plan to get there through solar, battery storage, and energy efficient upgrades across all campuses. In February 2025, a financing mechanism called a Certificates of Participation was on the agenda and ready to move forward. Board Members Morgan and Perry pulled it from the agenda. It has never come back. With bond conversations and the Facilities Master Plan actively underway, the energy master plan has been completely absent. You can watch the moment it was pulled here: LINK. We are aligned with this concern and we are asking the board majority to bring it back to the table.
Principal Report: Joe Vidal, Thurston Middle School
Principal Vidal presented on the 8th Grade Capstone program. The work happening at Thurston is a testament to what student-centered leadership looks like in action. Students are doing meaningful, rigorous work that connects learning to the real world. Thurston has been named a 2026 California Distinguished School, specifically recognized as an achievement gap closer. Chronic absenteeism sits at 6.5 percent against a national average of 20 percent. Suspensions are at an all-time low of 1 percent. This is exactly what we want for every child in this district.
FUEL View: We celebrate Principal Vidal and the entire Thurston team on this well-deserved accomplishment.
LBUSD Environmental and Sustainability Education
Coordinator Gloria Harwood delivered one of the best presentations of the evening. LBUSD students are doing extraordinary work. The high school scored 85 percent on the comprehensive Green Ribbon application in its first year and accepted the state award last week. Students are competing in the SustainSoCal challenge, mapping beach trash with GIS technology in collaboration with Louisiana State University, and lobbying in Washington through the Citizens Climate Lobby. The FLOW program connects fire, land, ocean, and water to real civic action through every English class in January. 81 students in the Class of 2026 will graduate with the California State Seal of Civic Engagement on their diploma, up from 37 last year. It was great to hear from three LBHS students on the tremendous and meaningful experiences and work they are doing around sustainability.
FUEL View: We celebrate Gloria Harwood and every educator and student behind this work. The connection between art, climate, and civic advocacy is alive in our classrooms. This is exactly what we want our schools to produce.
What Is Happening in Closed Session
For the fifth consecutive meeting, an Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release item appeared in closed session. There was no report out of closed session.
February 26: Unscheduled performance evaluation of Superintendent Dr. Jason Glass placed on the closed session agenda with no prior notice. No report out.
March 12: Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release. Only report out was the routine release of temporary employees.
March 26: Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release. No report out.
April 9: Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release. No report out. Board Member Kelly asked President Morgan directly why this item keeps appearing. President Morgan stated she thought it had always been on there. Board Member Malczewski corrected the record on the dais, confirming the item was placed intentionally and that a discussion had taken place.
April 16: Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release. No report out. Again.
Despite that correction being made on the public record, the item returned to the agenda last week without explanation.
FUEL View: Five consecutive meetings. No transparency. We are concerned this pattern reflects board majority conversations about staff that are being shielded from public view. Our community deserves to know what is being decided behind closed doors.
Board President Morgan: A Notable Silence
The district's Staff Listening Session report was released this week through a Public Records Act request and posted to the district website the day of this meeting. Community members submitted written comments addressing it. It was available for every board member to read and acknowledge. Here is a link to the report: LINK
Board President Morgan has had multiple opportunities to address the findings in this report. She could have raised it in her board member report. She could have added it to the agenda. She did neither. Again, at the meeting, she said nothing.
The report documents what staff told their own leadership, in sessions Morgan attended and convened: governance dysfunction is the single greatest barrier to doing their jobs. Staff described fear of retaliation, erosion of trust, and a board majority whose conduct reaches into classrooms and affects our children every single day.
Our staff deserve to be treated with respect by every member of this board. We are asking the board majority specifically to not only acknowledge what is in that report, but to come back to this community with a real plan to correct it.
FUEL View: Staff spoke clearly, on the record, in good faith, in a process the president initiated and directed. The least this board president owes them is acknowledgment. That silence is its own answer.
We Need to Address What Else Happened
Before the board meeting, a Substack publication hiding under an anonymous name that has several social media channels followed and supported by Board Majority Members and Sensible Laguna Members posted an article about FUEL President Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal. At the end of that article was an AI-generated image depicting her holding an ax, covered in blood.
This is not political commentary. This is targeted, violent, racialized imagery directed at a named member of our community. It has no place in Laguna Beach. Period.
Shaheen addressed it directly during public comment. Her words deserve to be shared in full. LINK
“There is a piece circulating in this community right now that goes well beyond critique. It is personal, demeaning, and trades in tropes that women, especially women of color, are expected to absorb if they choose to lead.
This image was created and circulated by individuals aligned with the current board majority. It is an AI-generated depiction of me holding an axe covered in blood.
Let us not pretend this exists in a vacuum.
This is the environment surrounding this Board. And whether it is authored directly or amplified indirectly, it reflects on leadership.
I also want to acknowledge something else. There are people in this community, my community, who are hurting tonight. Not because of politics, but because of what this kind of discourse says about who belongs and how we are allowed to show up. I see you, and I am grateful for you.
We are not going to shrink in response to it. We are going to keep showing up, keep asking hard questions, and keep insisting on better, for our schools and for each other.
Because that is what leadership actually looks like.”
We stand with Shaheen and commend her message and leadership following this reprehensible act. We do not believe this behavior is indicative of our larger Laguna Beach community and we hope to see this addressed appropriately.
Join Us
Visit our website: www.FUELLaguna.org
Follow along on Social Media
Instagram: @FUELLaguna
Facebook: @FUELLaguna
Reach out to board@fuellaguna.org with questions, connections, or to grab a coffee!
Thank you for your support!
April 9 LBUSD Board Meeting Recap
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.
Dear FUEL Community,
Our schools belong to our students, our staff, and this community. Last night's board meeting made us more certain of that than ever, and more committed to making sure everyone in Laguna Beach understands what is at stake. Watch the full meeting HERE.
Upcoming
Next LBUSD Board Meeting - Governance Session - Thursday, April 16 at Thurston Middle School | Closed Session 4:00 p.m. | Open Session 6:00 p.m.
FUEL at the Laguna Beach Farmers Market | Saturday April 18 | 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. - Come say hello, grab some treats, and bring a neighbor! Volunteer to join the FUEL team and share our message: LINK
One District, One Community Rally - Thursday, April 16 | 4:00 p.m. LBUSD District Lot | March to Main Beach - Come stand in solidarity with our LBUSD staff and community. Please see information and flyer below.
What Is Happening in Consecutive 2-Hour Closed Sessions
We have raised this before. We are raising it again, because the pattern has continued in four consecutive meetings and last night something new happened that the public record now reflects.
Here is the documented sequence:
February 26, 2026 — Board Governance Meeting: An unscheduled performance evaluation of Superintendent Dr. Jason Glass appeared on the closed session agenda under Government Code 54957. When the board returned to open session, Board President Morgan stated: "We have no report out of closed session." No action was reported. No information was disclosed.
March 12, 2026 — Regular Board Meeting: An Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release item appeared on the closed session agenda. The only report out of closed session: took action to release temporary certificated employees.
March 26, 2026 — Regular Board Meeting: Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release appeared again. No report out.
April 9, 2026 — Regular Board Meeting: Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release appeared for a third consecutive regular meeting. No report out.
During public comment on non-agenda items, multiple community members raised concern about the recurring Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release item appearing in closed session with no report out and no explanation. Public comment is how our community speaks directly to its elected representatives, and last night they used it. Board Member Dr. Kelly then asked Board President Morgan directly to explain why she wanted the item on every agenda. President Morgan stated she thought it had always been on there. Board Member Dr. Malczewski corrected the record, confirming the item was placed on the agenda and that a discussion had taken place. For the fourth consecutive time, our community still does not know what is being discussed or decided behind closed doors.
FUEL's View: Closed session exists for specific legal purposes. It is a protection for sensitive information, not a tool to avoid transparent governance. The California Brown Act requires that any action taken in closed session be reported out to the public. The pattern we are documenting, a recurring employee discipline item with no report out, an unscheduled superintendent evaluation outside the established process, and a board member making an inaccurate statement from the dais that required correction by a colleague, raises serious concerns that warrant public scrutiny.
District Communications Plan
This item came back to the board last night as a continuation of a discussion that has been building since January, when Board President Morgan, acting alone without full board authority, directed the district communications office toward immediate implementation of a new approach centered on board visibility rather than community service. That action raised legitimate concerns about the appropriate role of a board president in district operations.
Last night offered a clear contrast. Director of Communications and Engagement Anakaren presented a plan that is comprehensive, multi-channel, and genuinely focused on reaching and hearing from all stakeholders. She is working with Dr. Glass on an update to the communications plan, which is completely normal given that our superintendent arrived in July and is now appropriately leading that work. This is how it should function.
What we observed from the board majority was something different. Board President Morgan directed questions at staff from the dais, was openly critical of the communications team in a public setting, and inserted herself into operational decisions that belong to the superintendent.
Board Member Hills offered his own framing of what the district is and who it serves. His words are worth reading directly:
"The communications office is an instrumentality of the board. And if you were to try to define what the district is, the district is the board." We encourage you to watch the full exchange at 02:43:00.
FUEL's View: We see it differently. The district exists for its students. The communications office exists to serve families and the community. The superintendent is the CEO of this organization and its operations are his to lead. A board member's role is governance and policy, not operational control of staff. When a board member states from the dais that the “district is the board”, that is a fundamental misunderstanding about public education, what the role of the school board is in that system, and whom public education serves. We will continue to stand behind our excellence in our staff and their commitments to keeping students at the center of their work.
Community Bond Survey: Good News Worth Celebrating
The community has spoken and the data is encouraging. A March 2026 survey of likely Laguna Beach voters showed 59% initial support for an $83 million existing bond extension measure, already above the 55% threshold required for passage. When voters learned the measure would extend rather than increase the existing tax rate, support jumped to 67%. Final support after exposure to both positive and opposition arguments held at 64%.
Voters identified modern labs and career technical facilities, infrastructure repairs, updated technology, and hazardous materials removal as their top priorities. Our schools need these investments and our community is ready to make them.
FUEL's View: We are grateful to True North for a comprehensive and encouraging presentation. Our community is ready to approve a once in a generation opportunity to fund the success of the next 20 years of students coming through our amazing schools. We encourage the board to allow the democratic process to unfold and move forward and put this measure on the November 2026 ballot. Let the voters decide!
Staffing Update
District staff presented a detailed report on average class sizes across LBUSD and comparable districts. The data confirmed what our community already knows and values: our class sizes are small, our staffing is strong, and that directly translates into better student outcomes every single day. We are encouraged that all board members expressed support for maintaining current staffing levels and keeping class sizes small.
What gave us pause was how the discussion unfolded. Board President Morgan asked questions from the dais about personnel decisions, including which staff members might be considering retirement. These are not questions that belong at a board meeting. They create uncertainty and concern among the very people we are counting on to show up for our kids every day.
FUEL's View: We are glad the board is aligned on the value of small class sizes. We trust our educators and our district leadership to manage staffing well. That work does not need to happen from the dais. The public comments during this item were very compelling and worth watching HERE.
One District. One Community. Show Up on April 16!
When the teachers, classified staff, and employees who show up every day for our children feel strongly enough to organize a community march, that is a moment worth showing up for.
LaBUFA and CSEA are leading this rally and they are asking our community to walk with them. This is not a political event. It is a community standing together for its students and its schools.
One District, One Community Rally
Thursday, April 16 | 4:00 p.m. | District Lot, 550 Blumont Street
Join Us
Come say hello, grab some treats, and bring a neighbor! Volunteer to join the FUEL team and share our message: LINK
Follow along on Social Media
Instagram: @FUELLaguna
Facebook: @FUELLaguna
Reach out to board@fuellaguna.org with questions, connections, or to grab a coffee!
Thank you for your support!
See all Latest News HERE | FUEL | Families Unified for Education in Laguna | 501(c)(4) community advocacy | FUELLaguna.org
LBUSD Board Meeting Recap: March 26 + April 9 Preview | FUEL Laguna
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.
This is FUEL's recap of the March 26 LBUSD school board meeting and a preview of tonight's April 9 meeting. FUEL attends every Laguna Beach Unified School District board meeting and publishes detailed recaps to keep the Laguna Beach community informed.
Dear FUEL Community,
Thank you for continuing to show up, stay informed, and share our work with your neighbors. Every board meeting matters, and so does every person who takes the time to read these recaps, meeting agenda emails, and support our work.
Scroll down for an important recap on the March 26 LBUSD Board Meeting. Watch the full meeting HERE. But first, here is what is on deck at tonight’s LBUSD Board Meeting:
TONIGHT - Thursday, April 9 at Thurston Middle School | Open Session 6:00 p.m. | Agenda | Link to Public Comment | Link to Watch. Please show up, watch live, or submit public comments.
Closed Session - Item 3C - Once again, the board will convene in closed session with an Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release item on the agenda under Government Code § 54957. This will be the third consecutive meeting with this item along with the February 26 Superintendent Evaluation. As we have noted before, the law requires that actions taken in closed session be reported out to the public. We will be watching closely and we continue to expect transparency. Our community deserves to know what is being decided behind closed doors.
Presentation by Tim McLarney, True North, and Discussion of Community Bond Survey Results - Item 6A - The community has spoken and the feedback is positive. Survey results show that Laguna Beach residents are ready to support a bond measure that will benefit LBUSD students for generations to come. This is exactly the kind of civic investment our schools need, and our neighbors are telling us they are willing to make it. The board should feel the weight of that trust and respond accordingly by moving forward and putting this measure on the ballot. Let Laguna Beach residents and stakeholders use their voice and their vote.
District Communications Plan Continued - Item 7A - The communications plan returns for continued board discussion. As we note below, this work is strong and the team behind it deserves credit.
Staffing and Class Sizes Update - Item 8A - LBUSD is an elite school district, and part of what makes it exceptional is the quality and dedication of our staff and the learning environments they create every day for students with a wide range of needs. Small class sizes are valued. They are part of what makes this district so special. We trust our educators, we value their expertise, and we ask the board to protect the conditions that allow them to do their best work for every single student.
Governance Committee Review - Item 9A - The Ad Hoc Governance Committee was established with a clear and limited scope: review bylaws and policies for alignment with best practices. It was never meant to direct staff, negotiate language, or operate outside those boundaries. Tonight the board will revisit the committee's charge and membership, and that conversation is worth watching closely. Our concern is straightforward. A governance committee only works when the full board is functioning as one. That has not been the case. We will be paying attention to whether tonight's discussion moves this body toward greater cohesion and shared purpose, or further from it.
A Note at the Outset
The March 26 meeting started with President Morgan issuing a correction to a statement she made at the March 12 meeting. She had incorrectly indicated the board could move to closed session to restore order. She clarified the correct procedure is to clear the room if necessary, per Board Policy 9323. She then outlined behavioral expectations for attendees.
We also note that district legal counsel Jonathan Pearl (or another designee) is now present at every regular board meeting. We are noting this as a procedural change to how our meetings are being conducted.
Restorative Practices and the Healthy Kids Survey
Dr. Keller led this presentation, supported by Dr. Glass, walking the board through the district's approach to restorative practices and student wellbeing. He previously presented a similar presentation in the Fall. The data tells a strong story. LBUSD has achieved some of its lowest suspension rates on record. The framework in place ensures that every disciplinary situation is handled with a structured process designed to help students learn, repair relationships, and stay connected to school.
The Healthy Kids Survey data offered additional insight into how students across the district are feeling about their school experience. This is the kind of student-centered, evidence-based work that reflects well on our principals, teachers, and site staff. The work being done on our school campuses every single day is exceptional, and this presentation made that visible.
The board discussion was lengthy and covered ground that was already presented at the October board meeting.
FUEL's View: Dr. Keller and Dr. Glass presented thorough, well-supported work. The systems in place to support our students are working. We encourage the board to trust that data and move forward.
El Morro Principal Report: Dr. Julie Hatchel
Dr. Hatchel shared El Morro's mid-year progress and the results were remarkable. Students showed 26% growth in both English language arts and math on iReady assessments, nearly double what is considered strong growth. The school's student satisfaction score sits at 50, ten points above the excellent threshold. Over 60% of students are participating in the after-school program run through SchoolPower. El Morro is also in the running for a Gold Star School designation from the National Association of Elementary School Principals, with an announcement expected in May.
FUEL's View: The work happening at El Morro is a testament to what dedicated, student-centered leadership looks like. We celebrate Dr. Hatchel and her entire team.
District Communications Plan
Communications Manager Anakaren delivered a thorough presentation on the district communications plan, reflecting significant staff work to make information accessible across all platforms and community needs. It is clear this plan is comprehensive and constantly adjusting to the needs of students, their families, and the community. Discussion was tabled and will continue at the April 9 meeting.
FUEL's View: We commend Anakaren and the communications team for the quality of this work. The families of students currently enrolled in LBUSD are the district's most important audience. We ask that ensuring they have timely, relevant information about their children and the work happening in our schools remains the priority.
Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items
After four months of advocacy by FUEL and community members, President Morgan has placed 20 minutes of Public Comment on Non-Agenda items at the start of the past two meetings and has ensured that student voices are prioritized during that time. Speakers not heard in the first 20 minutes will have another opportunity at the end of the meeting. This is progress. Public comment is one of the most important ways community members can speak directly to their elected representatives. It needs to be protected, valued, and made as accessible as possible.
Closed Session
Once again, there was no report out of closed session, which included for the third meeting in a row, an item on Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release - Government Code § 54957. As we noted in our last newsletter, our concern remains. Not only is it a legal requirement for actions taken in closed session to be reported out to the community but our community deserves to know what is being discussed and decided in those portions of our board meetings. We will keep asking for that transparency.
LBUSD Celebration of the Arts
All four school sites will be represented in the annual Celebration of the Arts at Laguna Beach High School on April 14, 2026 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. We hope to see you there. LBUSD Celebration of the Arts.
Support FUEL
Join Us at the Farmers Market - Saturday, April 18
Come say hello, grab some treats, and bring a neighbor!
Volunteer to join the FUEL team and share our message: LINK
Attend in person at the Thurston Middle School Library. Open Session begins at 6:00 p.m. - Join us in the room to see what occurs in our school board hearings. Help us be there and witness what occurs in full from the dias.
Follow along on Social Media
Instagram: @FUELLaguna
Facebook: @FUELLaguna
Reach out to board@fuellaguna.org with questions, connections, or to grab a coffee!
Thank you for your support!
See all Latest News HERE | FUEL | Families Unified for Education in Laguna | 501(c)(4) community advocacy | FUELLaguna.org
How We Actually Honor Laguna Beach Taxpayers
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.
There is a pattern emerging at LBUSD board meetings. The board majority has repeatedly framed decisions around the financial contributions of this community — citing the district's $90 million budget, SchoolPower's annual giving, and community scholarship donations as context for governance decisions.
The numbers are real. The community investment in our schools is genuine and extraordinary. But the framing is wrong, and it matters.
FUEL President Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal addresses this directly. Public schools are funded through property taxes and local contributions because education is a core public good — not because financial contribution creates authority over student experience. The way we honor taxpayers is not by invoking how much they give. The way we honor them is by delivering what they are paying for: an exceptional public education system where every student thrives.
Our students are not beneficiaries of charity. They are the reason the system exists.
Watch Shaheen's full statement below.
This is a statement from FUEL President Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal addressing a pattern of governance framing at Laguna Beach Unified School District board meetings. FUEL attends every LBUSD board meeting and advocates for student-centered decision making in Laguna Beach schools.
March 26 Board Meeting: What's on the Agenda and What We Are Watching
Dear FUEL Community,
Tonight is a regular board meeting. Open session begins at 6:00 p.m. at Thurston Middle School Library, 2100 Park Avenue.
We want to share a few things that are on our minds as we head into this evening.
LBUSD Board Meeting - TONIGHT Thursday, 3/26 at 6:00 pm | Thurston Middle School - Link to Agenda | Link to Public Comment Form | Link to Watch
Our Students and Staff
Thank you!
Our students continue to show up and impress all of us. They are thoughtful, informed, and deeply invested in their schools and community. Seeing the different traits of the LBUSD learner profile shine through their actions is inspiring.
Our staff has also been speaking up. We hope the whole community is listening. These are professionals who chose to work with our children, who choose LBUSD, and whose work matters every single day. We are grateful for them. We trust them. And we believe they deserve to be supported fully in the work they do.
On Tonight's Agenda
Item 8A - Restorative Practices and the California Healthy Kids Survey
Tonight staff will present a detailed update on restorative practices within a progressive discipline system, alongside data from the California Healthy Kids Survey. This is a follow-up to a presentation from October. We commend district staff and prior leadership for their continued commitment to social-emotional learning and positive discipline approaches. This kind of forward-thinking work reflects the values our community holds, and we look forward to seeing the full report and the data it contains.
Item 9A - District Communications Plan Review
The board will also receive a review and discussion of the LBUSD communications plan tonight. At the March 12 meeting, Member Malczewski raised a significant concern. She noted publicly that the plan inappropriately focuses on the board, and that no individual board member has the authority to develop district strategy independently.
FUEL's View: All board members are bound by bylaws and represent their whole electorate. The superintendent manages district operations, including how the district communicates. When important items like this come before the board, we encourage the community to pay close attention to the discussion and any action taken. We reiterate that our superintendent is qualified and should be set up for success, supported in fulfilling his role in service of all of LBUSD, and most importantly in service of our students and staff.
Item 5 and 11A - Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items
Tonight, public comment on non-agenda items will be heard at the beginning of the meeting for 20 minutes. If more speakers remain, comment will continue at the end. Students and staff deserve to be prioritized in that time. We hope they are.
What We Are Watching: FUEL’s View
Items 3D, 3E, and 4C - Closed Session Items and Report on Closed Session Action
Since President Morgan formally assumed her role, this board has issued a steady stream of 3-2 votes on governance and procedural matters, often against the recommendation of the superintendent and voices of the community. We have watched members of the board majority publicly challenge the superintendent's leadership from the dais. And since February, an Employee Discipline, Dismissal, or Release item has appeared multiple times on closed session agendas sometimes without a report out or any indication of resolution.
We have shared our concern about the superintendent's off-cycle performance evaluation before. Off-cycle evaluations outside of the established process send a signal. The lack of any report out of closed session leaves our community without answers or transparency. Dr. Glass deserves the stability and support to lead the district he was hired to lead.
Taken together, these actions feel abnormal for a small, well-resourced district like ours. They reflect a board majority that is moving in a direction that students, staff, families, and community members have not asked for.
Join Us
Attend in person at the Thurston Middle School Library. Open Session begins at 6:00 p.m. - Join us in the room to see what occurs in our school board hearings. Help us be there and witness what occurs in full from the dias.
Follow along on Social Media
Instagram: @FUELLaguna
Facebook: @FUELLaguna
Reach out to board@fuellaguna.org with questions, connections, or to grab a coffee!
Thank you for your support!
March 12 Board Meeting Recap: FUEL's Perspective and What You Need to Know
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.
Dear FUEL Community,
Thank you for being here. The conversations happening across our community, at school pickup, in neighborhoods, and in packed board meeting rooms, are exactly what this moment calls for. We are grateful for every one of you who is showing up and staying informed.
The next LBUSD Regular Board Meeting is Thursday, March 26. Open session begins at 6:00 p.m. at Thurston Middle School Library, 2100 Park Avenue.
March 12 Regular Board Meeting: Recap
Student Public Comment
Board President Morgan, with the support of Members Kelly, Malczewski, and Perry, made a single-meeting motion to allow students to comment on non-agenda items at the start of open session. Students from Laguna Beach High School filled the room and spoke clearly, with conviction, and from the heart. They addressed the graduation venue decision, the student survey that gave them a voice, accessibility concerns for families, and what it means to feel genuinely heard by the people elected to serve them. Several noted that two out of three community data points support keeping graduation at Guyer Field. One student pointed out that a petition gathered within the school community topped 1,000 signatures in less than two weeks.
What stayed with us was not just what they said but how they carried themselves. These students were calm, informed, and deeply thoughtful. Many of them will be voting in November. They are paying attention. President Morgan and Dr. Glass have committed to planning a meaningful experience for the Class of 2026 at the Irvine Bowl. The venue decision will not return to the board agenda.
FUEL's View: We are proud of every student who stood at that microphone and those who supported their peers. They represent the very best of what this school district produces. They continue to show up, speak up, and lead. We commend them.
Board Member Reports: Logan Marshall and Ivy Dabbs
During board member reports, both student representatives addressed accusations by President Morgan that their views are not their own and that they are coached by FUEL on what to say.
FUEL's View: FUEL does not coach, direct, or coordinate with Logan or Ivy in any way. Their voices are entirely their own. We commend them without reservation. President Morgan bears responsibility for the actions taken and the environment created as a leader. The inability to take accountability and foster trust with student leadership is deeply disheartening.
Please see Ivy and Logan's full comments at the board meeting here.
Thurston Named a California Distinguished School
Thurston Middle School was recognized as a 2026 California Distinguished School for its work closing achievement gaps for underserved students. Principal Vidal and the entire Thurston team earned this recognition through years of consistent, student-centered work.
FUEL's View: Congratulations to the Thurston community. This is exactly what a well-supported school, dedicated staff, and a strong leader can achieve. We celebrate this wholeheartedly.
Board Member Reports: Member Malczewski on the District Communication Plan
Member Malczewski raised a significant concern about a district communication plan developed under the direction of Board President Morgan. As described, the plan heavily emphasizes board visibility, including board member profiles, rapid amplification of board decisions, and board-focused publications. Member Malczewski was direct: district communications exist to serve students, families, and the educational mission, not to elevate the public profile of the board. She also noted that no individual board member has the authority to develop district strategy independently.
The revised district communications plan was not placed on any board agenda and the community had no prior notice of its contents. There have been no official changes to board policy around communications, and there is very little clarity on why this plan is being driven by the board president rather than through the superintendent and established governance process.
FUEL's View: We share these concerns. Board members are bound by bylaws, and the superintendent manages district operations including communications strategy. We are researching what communication policies look like in comparable districts and will share what we find. Our community deserves to know how public resources and staff time are being directed.
Closed Session
The board reported action taken in closed session to release temporary certificated employees effective at the end of the 2025-26 school year. This is a standard annual action. A unanimous 5-0 vote was reported.
FUEL's View: This is routine. We note it here for completeness and transparency.
Labor Negotiations
Both LaBUFA and CSEA reported positively on the first negotiating session with the district. LaBUFA noted that newer team members walked away pleasantly surprised, describing thoughtful collaboration and genuine problem solving. CSEA echoed the constructive tone. That positive report made what came later in the evening even more difficult to hear.
During public comment, LaBUFA Union President Scott Wittkop spoke vulnerably and tearfully about how the current board dysfunction, for the first time in all his years at the district, is driving him to look for a new job. Watch his remarks here.
FUEL's View: The contrast between a productive first negotiating session and a union president in tears at the same meeting tells the full story of where our district stands right now. Good faith at the table matters. So does what happens everywhere else. Our teachers and staff are not abstract stakeholders. They are the people who show up every single day for our children, and they are telling us they are struggling. There is a real human cost to all of this. We continue to stand with our staff.
Financial Health Report
The board approved the 2025-26 Second Interim Financial Report with a positive certification. The district is expected to meet its financial obligations for this year and the next two. The district CBO was transparent about the road ahead: the pool modernization project will draw down reserves over the next 18 months, and the recommendation is to hold on adding new programs until the district returns to surplus. The $11 million interfund transfer to fund the pool project passed 5-0.
FUEL's View: The district is in a sound financial position and we are glad the full picture was communicated clearly. Fiscal transparency is good governance, and district staff continues to work diligently to keep LBUSD on a path of success and fiscal responsibility.
The Words We Want to Leave You With
FUEL President Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal set an important and needed tone during public comment. She reminded the room that public schools are funded through property taxes because education is a core public good, something communities invest in together so all children have access to learning and opportunity. She said the way to honor that investment is not by invoking how much money the community contributes. The way to honor it is by delivering what people are actually paying for: an exceptional public education system. And she said this clearly: our students are not beneficiaries of charity from adults in this town. They are the reason the system exists.
That is the frame through which FUEL looks at every board decision. Is this serving the students? Is this supporting the people who show up every day to educate them?
Please see Shaheen's full public comment here.
A Note on Public Comment
Despite hundreds of written and in-person requests, and Member Kelly's repeated motions to move public comment on non-agenda items to the beginning of meetings, it remains at the end. Community members, parents, teachers, and students continue to wait until late in the evening simply to speak to their elected officials. We will keep asking for this to change.
Our Community Is Growing
At the March 12 meeting, we were moved to see Laguna Beach parents speaking powerfully about what they are witnessing and stepping forward to join our community. That is what FUEL is built on. If you have been watching from the sidelines and feel ready to connect, we would love to hear from you. Whether you want to attend a meeting, get more involved, or simply stay informed, there is a place for you here. We are stronger together, and our shared goal is simple: prioritize our students and their experience in Laguna Beach schools.
Reach out at Board@FUELLaguna.org or visit FUELLaguna.org to learn more.
How to Support FUEL:
Attend a School Board Meeting in person: Thurston Middle School Library, 2100 Park Avenue. Open session at 6:00 p.m.
Invite a friend into the FUEL tent: Grab a coffee or take a walk with a neighbor and tell them about the school board and FUEL's work. Remind them to get ready for November.
FUEL, Families Unified for Education in Laguna, was formed by Laguna Beach parents who witnessed conduct at the December 2024 board meeting that raised serious concerns about governance, tone, and accountability. We came together to provide an organized, informed, and fact-based parent voice in our district.
Our mission is to champion student success and elevate our school district to the highest standard of excellence. We track board actions, explain decisions clearly, and share accurate information so our community understands what is happening in our schools. We are parents, grandparents, educators, neighbors, and residents. We welcome conversation and community engagement.
FUEL | Families Unified for Education in Laguna | 501(c)(4) community advocacy | FUELLaguna.org
The Math Behind the Outrage
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.
PUBLISHED BY LAGUNA BEACH INDEPENDENT ON MARCH 20, 2026
There has been a lot of noise around the “$1.77 million” health care issue in Laguna Beach Unified, and at this point, the number is being used more to inflame people than to inform them.
Yes, there was a real problem. For several years, the district failed to consistently apply the health care contribution formulas outlined in employee contracts. This issue should have been caught much sooner and needed to be corrected. No one disputes this.
However, the way this issue is being framed now is deeply misleading.
District staff brought this issue to public attention and commissioned an independent review. The review found a compliance and internal controls problem, but more importantly, did not find evidence of fraud, theft, or funds being “diverted.” These words are loaded and go far beyond what the actual record supports.
The main problem with the public conversation is the way the “$1.77 million” figure is being thrown around as if it tells the whole story when it does not.
$1.77 million is the total only from the years when the district paid more than the contract formula required, from FY23 to FY26. What keeps getting left out is that in FY21 and FY22, staff overpaid, so the district owed them. After completing the full reconciliation, the number brought forward for corrective action was $1.04 million. That is the figure the board acted on.
So no, this is not a case of “simple math” being ignored. It is a matter of people choosing the biggest number because it makes for a better scandal.
Context and honesty are important.
Teachers and staff did not create this problem. They selected plans from the available options based on the information provided. They should not be blamed for administrative mistakes they did not make, and they should not be turned into political punching bags because some people want to manufacture outrage.
While $1.04 million is significant, it represents a 6-year correction in a district with an annual general fund of approximately $85 million. Serious? Yes. Worth fixing? Absolutely. Proof of some sweeping conspiracy? No.
If this issue were truly as obvious and clear-cut as some claim, it would be fair to ask why a formal review and full reconciliation were necessary to determine the amount. The truth is less dramatic than the outrage campaign suggests: an administrative failure, not the scandal some people desperately want it to be.
We should require accountability, but the public also deserves accuracy, and right now that has been in short supply.
Erika Hennon Rule
LBUSD Parent
Aliso Viejo
SchoolPower and FUEL are not the same
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.
PUBLISHED BY STU NEWS LAGUNA AND LAGUNA BEACH INDEPENDENT ON MARCH 20, 2026
SchoolPower has supported Laguna Beach public schools for 45 years. It was created at a time when the district faced significant financial need and, over decades, has evolved to meet the changing needs of LBUSD. Today the organization raises roughly $1 million each year to support programs and services that benefit children across the district.
At its core, SchoolPower exists for one reason – students.
The organization funds initiatives that help as many children as possible thrive. That includes Educator Grants for teachers, counselors, and administrators who want to bring new ideas to their classrooms and programs. It helps fund science camps so middle school families face less financial burden, and an Athletics Fund that supports middle and high school athletes so students can learn leadership, resilience and teamwork through sports.
SchoolPower also operates the district’s elementary after-school enrichment program (SPASE), serving nearly three-quarters of elementary students, and provides scholarships so families who need support can access these opportunities. Through the Family Resource Center, it also helps fund direct assistance for families in need. In short, it helps provide the wraparound support that many school districts simply cannot fund on their own.
I have served as a SchoolPower trustee for seven years and was president in 2023-2024, a role I’m incredibly proud to have held.
What many people do not understand is that SchoolPower does not direct the school district in any way. It has no authority over curriculum, staffing, academic decisions, or school-site operations. None. SchoolPower exists solely to support students and programs.
Trustees are parent volunteers who donate significant time and financial support because they believe in that mission. They spend countless hours in committee meetings, planning community events and finding new ways to grow programs that benefit our students.
Recently, a narrative has emerged suggesting that SchoolPower and FUEL are somehow connected. That is simply not true.
FUEL formed in response to concerns many parents had after the new school board majority took office at the end of 2024. It is a community advocacy effort focused on governance and the future direction of the district.
Is it surprising that some of the same parents involved in SchoolPower are also active in FUEL? Of course not. Laguna Beach is a small community. The parents who dedicate time and energy to supporting our schools tend to be the same parents who step forward when they believe the district needs engagement or advocacy.
But the two organizations are entirely separate. SchoolPower is a 501(c)(3), it does not engage in governance matters and simply receives periodic updates from school board representatives.
When hearing claims about organizations that support our schools, it is worth considering the source and whether they have any real experience or involvement with the organizations they are speaking about.
Parents who volunteer their time and resources to support public education are a strength of our community.
SchoolPower has been an extraordinary asset to Laguna Beach for nearly half a century. It reflects the best of what a community can do for its schools, and it remains something many of us are deeply proud to support.
Iva Pawling, SchoolPower Trustee and FUEL Board Member
Laguna Beach
Who Is FUEL? Meet the Families and community Behind the Movement
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.
If you are new here, welcome. This post is for you.
FUEL, Families Unified for Education in Laguna, was born out of a simple but urgent question. In early 2025, a shift in LBUSD school board leadership raised real concerns for families across Laguna Beach. A small group of parents looked around and asked: who is holding our board accountable? When the answer was unclear, we decided to be the answer.
Why We Formed
It started with a packed room at Thurston Middle School Library and a group of parents who were not willing to look away. What we witnessed at the December 2024 board meeting raised serious concerns about governance, tone, and accountability. We did not form out of anger. We formed out of love for this community and a belief that our schools deserve better.
Who We Are
FUEL is a coalition of over 500 families, educators, grandparents, and community members united around one thing: Laguna Beach schools. We are parents who have been in these classrooms, on these PTAs, and at these board meetings for years. We know this community because we are this community.
FUEL is led by a board of nine: Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal, Emily Rolfing, Danielle Roedersheimer, Jeff Roedersheimer, Iva Pawling, Newth Morris, Claudia Morris, Julie Gersten, and Matthew Gummow. Full bios are at fuellaguna.org/our-team.
What We Do
We show up. We share. We listen.
We attend every board meeting. We publish clear, fact-based recaps. We track board actions, explain decisions in plain language, and make it easier for families to stay informed and engaged. We also maintain a growing library of resources on topics like the Pool and Facilities Master Plan, the superintendent search process, the role of the school board, curriculum and grade weighting, and how LBUSD is funded.
In one year, FUEL grew to 500+ supporters and became one of the most trusted community voices for families in Laguna Beach. That did not happen by accident. It happened because people showed up, shared our work, and stayed engaged.
Join Us
This community is your community. You do not have to do anything dramatic to be part of this. Follow along. Share our updates. Come to a board meeting. Host a coffee with a neighbor. Ask questions. And if you are ready to do more, we would love to have you.
The next LBUSD Regular Board Meeting is Thursday, March 26 at 6:00 p.m. at Thurston Middle School Library, 2100 Park Avenue. Come see what we are all about.
Reach out at Board@FUELLaguna.org or visit FUELLaguna.org to learn more and join our community.
FUEL | Families Unified for Education in Laguna | 501(c)(4) community advocacy | FUELLaguna.org
February 26 Recap and March 12 Meeting Agenda
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.
Dear FUEL Community,
Thank you for being here. Whether you have been with us from the beginning, recently joined our community, or are reading this for the first time, we are grateful for every one of you. The conversations happening in our neighborhoods, at school pickup, and at the Farmers Market are a groundswell of engagement that is what this community needs right now.
Next Board Meeting: Tomorrow, Thursday, March 12. There is important business on the agenda and your voice matters. Details on how to attend and submit public comment are at the bottom of this email.
Before we get into tomorrow, we want to share a recap of the February 26 Board Governance Meeting. It was a long and eventful evening, and there is a lot our community deserves to know.
Thursday, March 12 at Thurston Middle School | Closed Session 4:30 p.m. | Open Session 6:00 p.m. | Agenda | Link to Public Comments | Link to Watch. Please show up, watch live, or submit public comment.
February 26 Board Governance Meeting: What Happened
Agenda Item 3D: Superintendent Performance Evaluation (Closed Session)
The February 26 closed session agenda included an unscheduled performance evaluation of Superintendent Dr. Jason Glass. When the board returned to open session, Board President Morgan stated simply: "We have no report out of closed session."
Under the Brown Act, California's open meeting law, the board is required to publicly report any action taken in closed session. A "no report" means either no action was taken, or no information is being disclosed. The community has no way of knowing which is true.
FUEL's View: Dr. Glass was hired unanimously, 5-0, by this board. His formal annual evaluation is already scheduled for August, which is the appropriate timeline for a superintendent in his first year. This evaluation came just ten weeks after the previous one, during a period that included two weeks of school breaks. Off-cycle evaluations outside of the established process send a signal to our superintendent, our staff, and our community. We believe Dr. Glass deserves the stability and support to lead the district he was hired to lead. The lack of any report out of closed session leaves our community without answers or transparency, and that matters.
Agenda Item 5A: High School Graduation Location
The board majority voted to move the 2026 LBHS graduation ceremony to the Irvine Bowl. This decision was made despite repeated requests from community members to refrain from taking action at the board level, unanswered questions, and a process that did not engage all stakeholders equally.
Superintendent Dr. Glass recommended that graduation remain a site-level decision. The board majority rejected that recommendation. Member Kelly put forward a thoughtful substitute motion to move graduation to the Irvine Bowl the following year, allowing adequate time for planning and full stakeholder input. Members Kelly and Malczewski voted in support. The board majority voted no.
Following the vote, community members made repeated public requests to place the item on the March 12 regular board meeting agenda, where broader participation would be possible. This item was not added to the March 12 agenda.
FUEL's View: We have not taken a position on where graduation should be held. We are focused on the process, and this one fell short. Graduation is a complex event and the LBHS Commencement at Guyer Field has been in the planning phase since Fall, as is routinely the case annually. The Thurston 8th grade promotion will continue to be planned by site administration. The high school staff are now being directed by the board, which is not what the board should be focused on in a high-performing district. Since this vote, we have watched the harm of board overreach play out again in real time. The criticism directed at staff in the aftermath has been deeply disappointing. We remain concerned that this pattern of overreach is a serious detriment to our students, staff, leadership, and community.
Agenda Items 7A-C: Board Governance Workshop
This item was a governance workshop, led by new board attorney, Jonathan Pearl. The series is intended to build a shared understanding of board bylaws, Ed Code, and the respective roles of the board and superintendent. Mr. Pearl was clear: the board acts collectively, not individually. No single board member has the authority to direct staff or bind the district. The superintendent is responsible for daily operations. The board governs. The superintendent manages.
FUEL's View: Our board needs a shared foundation to function well together. What we observed on February 26 was a board majority that could not articulate shared goals, made inaccurate statements about the rules, and continued to resist the kind of collective accountability that effective governance requires. There are also ongoing efforts by the board majority to modify CSBA-recommended policies in ways that fall outside established process.
Tomorrow: March 12 Regular Board Meeting Highlights
Item 3A - Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items for Closed Session clarification on any action taken during closed session at the February 26th Board Meeting.
Closed Session includes a public employee discipline/dismissal/release item alongside ongoing labor negotiations with LaBUFA and CSEA.
Item 8A - Financial Health Report: The 2025-26 Second Interim Report supports a positive certification. The district is on solid financial footing for this year and the next two.
Item 8B - Pool Modernization Funding: A vote on an $11 million interfund transfer to fund the approved LBHS pool modernization project.
Item 7A - School Resource Officer MOU: A review of the revised agreement between LBUSD and the City of Laguna Beach governing the SRO program. This is a discussion item tomorrow. Formal approval comes at a future meeting.
Item 12 - Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items - Public comment remains at the end of meetings, despite hundreds of requests for President Morgan to restore public comment on non-agenda items to the start of open session allowing students, families, staff, and community members to address their elected officials directly.
How to Support FUEL:
Attend in person: Thurston Middle School Library, 2100 Park Avenue. Open session at 6:00 p.m. Please join us in person to see what occurs in our School Board hearings. Help us be in the room and witness what occurs in full from the Dias.
Have a question? Reach out to us. Email FUEL Board
FUEL, Families Unified for Education in Laguna, was formed by Laguna Beach parents who witnessed conduct at the December 2024 board meeting that raised serious concerns about governance, tone, and accountability. We came together to provide an organized, informed, and fact-based parent voice in our district.
Our mission is to champion student success and elevate our school district to the highest standard of excellence. We track board actions, explain decisions clearly, and share accurate information so our community understands what is happening in our schools. We are parents, grandparents, educators, neighbors, and residents. We welcome conversation and community engagement.
A 501(c)(4) structure allows us to do this work fully and transparently, with the compliance and reporting obligations we welcome.
Empathetic Citizens Are Built by Staff and Teachers
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.
PUBLISHED BY LAGUNA BEACH INDEPENDENT ON MARCH 6, 2026
I want to thank the teachers, staff, and Dr. Glass for continuing to create a successful environment for our students, preschool through 12th grade. The LCAP midyear progress update is a useful reminder that real improvement is not flashy - it is steady and built by educators who put kids first every day.
At the February 12 board meeting, Dr. Glass paused to underscore how unusual it is to see this kind of movement at the halfway point of the year. Looking at the i-Ready shifts from the beginning of the year to midyear, he said, “That’s not good. It’s incredible.” He also noted that many districts would be thrilled to have this kind of progress at year-end and reminded the community that we still have half a year left, driven by the work happening in schools.
You can see that work in the data. For English learners, Tier 1 reading increased from 10% to 38% from fall to winter, and Tier 1 math increased from 16% to 31%. Across K through 8, fewer students are in the most intensive support category in both reading and math compared with the start of the year, which is what you want to see as interventions take hold.
At Laguna Beach High School, the progress shows up in access and opportunity. The district reported that 41% of students are enrolled in one or more CTE courses this year, and 21% have earned college credit at some point during high school.
The district’s student support system reported over 7,000 counseling contacts through January, including academic planning, crisis response, and social-emotional support. That is the behind-the-scenes work that helps students stay on track and get help when they need it.
This progress is happening because staff and teachers are putting our kids first every day. They are helping shape empathetic citizens who will carry what they learn here into our community and beyond. I appreciate Dr. Glass for publicly naming the progress, and I hope we keep backing the people who are making it real in our classrooms and on our campuses.
Erika Hennon Rule
LBUSD Parent, Aliso Viejo
February 12th Recap + THIS Thursday’s 2/26 Meeting: What's at Stake
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.
Dear FUEL Community,
Thank you for your continued engagement. We are showing up together, and that matters more than ever.
The February 12th board meeting ran seven hours long and ended at 1:00 am. Board Bylaw 9322 passed 3-2 despite opposition from the superintendent, both unions, all written public comment, and staff. As of today, both unions have filed grievances (documented complaint alleging that the school district violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement).
Community members, parents, teachers, neighbors, carry the burden of staying until midnight just to speak to their elected officials. And this feels very much like a deliberate strategy to silence the community voices the board majority has proven they prefer to ignore.
We are committed to continuing to show up and speak to what we believe is a trajectory our district should not be on.
Before diving into the recap, we want to flag something urgent: This Thursday’s Governance Meeting includes a closed-session superintendent evaluation, the second in 10 weeks, with no additional evaluation scheduled under Dr. Glass's contract until September 2026. The open session items on the same night would redefine board authority over site and superintendent roles. Please see the full breakdown below.
In Brief on February 12 School Board Meeting
Meeting ran 7 hours, ending at 1:00 am; public comment began at 12:16 am
Board Bylaw 9322 passed 3-2, giving the board president final agenda authority, opposed by the superintendent, both unions, all written public comment, and staff
Both unions filed grievances; negotiations may be delayed
Graduation venue discussion consumed 2+ hours on an incorrectly agendized item; will return this Thursday, February 26th. For review here is a presentation brought by site administrators: LINK
State-mandated immigration policy delayed to February 26th after procedural confusion. Dr. Glass shared concern that without passing this policy before March 1st, our district would be out of compliance
LCAP mid-year results showed exceptional student growth across all metrics; Discussion was limited to 20-ish minutes due to the meeting length
17 community members stayed past midnight to share concerns about staff morale, fear of retaliation, and governance practices. Demonstrating the board president’s refusal to hear our community and request to restore public comment on non-agenda items to the start of the meeting.
What This Meeting Means
Board Bylaw 9322 passed despite broad, organized opposition, including the superintendent’s strong recommendation not to move forward with the revisions. Both unions opposed it and as of today have field grievances that may delay negotiations. With the exception of two speakers, every written and in-person public comment, for both the first and second reading, opposed it. The board majority passed it anyway, 3-2, at 12:10 am. The board also realized that some additional language they wanted was missing so they would revisit at a future meeting.
The graduation venue discussion lasted over two hours on an item that was incorrectly agendized as a discussion versus action item, and so could not allow for a board vote or final decision. The superintendent recommended this remain a site-level decision, made by the principals who know their communities.
FUEL’s View: If the board votes to override the site principals’ recommendation that graduations stay at the high school field, this will have been the second time the board majority has disregarded the superintendent’s professional recommendations. We address this further below.
Our academic excellence continues, and that is because of our remarkable staff. The LCAP mid-year report showed Laguna Beach students performing at elite levels, with interventions working, suspension rates cut in half, and college readiness strong. Superintendent Glass called it "an elite performing school district." This is what our educators produce every single day despite a Board Majority that undermines their expertise regularly.
What we heard after midnight broke our hearts and strengthened our resolve. Seventeen community members delivered organized, thoughtful testimony on behalf of staff who are afraid to speak publicly. They shared that our educators feel the joy has been taken from their work; they do not feel safe speaking openly; that they are watching the district they love being tragically damaged. These are the heartfelt sentiments from real people who give everything they have to our kids’ education. You can watch the moving speeches HERE (starting at 6:16:00).
FUEL’s View: Good governance is built on collaboration, trust, and respect for professional expertise. When the superintendent, unions, staff, and community all raise the same concerns and are consistently dismissed, something is broken. We believe our district deserves better, and so do the extraordinary people working in it every day.
What is Coming: THIS Thursday, February 26 Board Governance Meeting
4:00 pm Open Session | 6:00 pm Open Session | Thurston Middle School Library | Link to Agenda | Public Comment Form | Link to Watch
Please see our highlighted agenda items below:
Item 3D -Public Employee Performance Evaluation Title: Superintendent (Government code section 54957 subd. (b)(1))”: Closed session includes a superintendent performance evaluation, the second in 10 weeks, with the next evaluation scheduled under Dr. Glass’s contract not due until September 1st 2026. This does not appear to be routine.
Dr. Glass was hired 5-0 to lead our district. We believe it is imperative that the board recognize his expertise and allow our superintendent to fulfill his role without hindrance for the betterment of our students and district.
Item 5: Approval of High School Graduation Location: If the board majority overrides the principals’ recommendation, it will be the second consecutive meeting in which the majority has substituted its own judgment for that of the professionals hired to make these decisions. This is a transfer of decision-making authority from our Principals as site leaders, to the board.
The board majority would establish a precedent that their role is to override professional staff expertise and make decisions that have historically been the authority of site principals
High school graduation plans are already in progress and would be changed on a very tight timeline
Voices of half of the student body are unheard; no survey was conducted for 8th grade students and families
Thurston is not able to cover the full cost of the high school graduation setup alone, and would need to come up with an alternate plan on a very tight timeline
We would like to leave you with this quote from Dr. Allemann, High School Principal:
“I want to share in my 30 years of experience in education and across three districts where I was principal in three different schools, this has always been an honor and a privilege to do and serve the students and families around the commencement and promotion ceremony.”
Items 7A and 7B - Governance Roles and Operational Alignment and Governance Processes and Issue Resolution: These items define the boundary between board authority and superintendent authority (7A), and how disagreements with the superintendent are handled (7B). These items appear on the same night as a superintendent evaluation that does not appear to be defined in his contract.
Item 8A - Public Comment (Non-Agenda Items): Public comment remains at the end of the meeting.
The board majority continues to vote against restoring it to the start of open session.
There have been hundreds of requests from students, staff, and community members to make this change.
Forcing students to sit and wait in the Thurston library until 12:30am for a chance to speak to their elected representatives is unacceptable.
Students, staff, families, and community members should be able to address elected officials at the start of the meeting.
We will not stop asking for this restoration.
Written public comment on closed session items must be submitted by 12:00 pm Thursday. If you have concerns about the direction of the board, Thursday is the time to make your voice heard.
Action Item:Please join us at the meeting, witness what happens in the room.
Quotes shared from community members who attended their first school board meeting on 2/12/2026. Watch Here
“In my twenty years of professional experience, I have never seen a meeting so derailed by ego and micromanagement. When a single petition overshadows strategic conversations about AI and the future of education, something is broken. Parents, we cannot afford apathy. Show up to the meetings. Demand better. Our children deserve leadership with vision.” - LBUSD Parent
“I attended my first board meeting after watching on Zoom for the last year. I knew there was dysfunction watching from home, but a recording doesn’t come close to capturing the tension, theatrics and effect on the community. It was a seven hour long spectacle. Being there in person opened my eyes and that’s exactly why more of us need to show up in person.” - LBUSD Parent
“For the past year I regularly watch the LBUSD board meetings online and attended a few at the beginning of last year. A few weeks ago, I went to Thurston to watch it in person. I am painfully aware of how bad the meetings have been going, but this past one blew my mind. To sit in the room and experience the chaos, disrespect, and disorder was a whole other experience. I am saddened that this board majority is tanking the reputation of our schools, regularly disrespecting our staff, and creating a deepening divide between the board and the focus on our students. I urge anyone who is able to attend in person to do so. We, as parents and community members, must show our wonderful teachers and district staff that we see what’s happening and stand with them in support.” - LBUSD Parent
How to Support FUEL:
Attend February 26th Board Meeting at 6:00pm: Thurston Middle School Library
Submit Public Comment by 12:00 pm on 2/26: Link
Join us at Saturday’s Laguna Beach Farmer’s Market Volunteer: Link
We want to say something from the heart: the FUEL community has shown up in extraordinary ways. New voices are joining. Our coalition is growing stronger. And that strength is exactly what this moment requires. November 2026 is on the horizon, and between now and then, our work of documenting, informing, organizing, and engaging is more important than ever. We are grateful for every single one of you who refuses to look away.
With care,
FUEL Board
Board Overreach on the february 12 agenda
The board majority is scheduled to take a final vote on Bylaw 9322. The superintendent did not recommend this change. Here is what the proposed revision would do, why it matters, and what FUEL believes is at stake for shared governance in our district.
At the February 12 Board of Education meeting, the board majority is scheduled to take a second reading and final vote on Bylaw 9322.
As we reported in our January 22 meeting recap, this proposed revision weakens the Superintendent’s role in agenda setting and places final authority solely with the Board President.
The superintendent did not recommend this change. During the January 22 meeting, he provided a detailed memo explaining that the existing policy aligns with best practices in high-performing districts and with California School Boards Association model language. He warned that the proposed revision would weaken shared governance and introduce operational and transparency risks.
Despite that professional recommendation:
The language was edited live during the meeting to further consolidate authority with the Board President
It was advanced without a first reading
Not a single written or in-person public comment supported the change
Staff and union representatives voiced opposition
You can review our full January 22 recap, including meeting timestamps and source documents, here: Link to Newsletter
Why This Matters
The superintendent was hired unanimously in a 5–0 vote after a national search to lead this district.
Moving forward with governance changes that disregard his recommendations represents a clear shift away from collaborative leadership. When the board majority dismisses professional guidance while expanding its own authority, it undermines stability, transparency, and trust.
We are also seeing this same pattern extend beyond governance policy. The board has begun inserting itself into site-level and administrative decisions, including graduation planning and staff direction. These are operational responsibilities traditionally led by school leadership, not trustees.
Strong districts depend on clear roles. Blurring those lines creates conflict and instability.
This is board overreach, and it is causing real harm to the district.
What You Can Do
Please take action.
Attend the meeting - Open Session 6:00 p.m. in Thurston Middle School Library
Email board members and urge them to reverse course on Bylaw 9322 - jglass@lbusd.org, smorgan@lbusd.org, dperry@lbusd.org, jkelly@lbusd.org, jmalczewski@lbusd.org, hhills@lbusd.org
Ask the board to stop this overreach, respect the superintendent they unanimously hired, and return to collaborative, transparent governance focused on students and staff.
Submit public comment here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9_c3aUTtuP5NunLkZ-TSKQeSP-tb76wYdsI86aFExNVss5g/viewform?usp=send_form
Additional Resources:
Dr. Malczewski’s January 8 LBUSD Trustee Statement
Strong words. Necessary words. Board Minority Member Dr. Malczewski outlines serious concerns about governance, transparency, and the erosion of democratic norms. Her message is about protecting students, educators, and the integrity of our public institutions.
Statement Transcribed:
In this new year, I want to share some serious concerns about governance.
Local school boards are among our most fragile democratic institutions. They function through norms of transparency, truthfulness, restraint, and respect for professional expertise. When those norms erode, and I am deeply concerned that they are eroding here, attention is diverted away from students and toward internal conflict and damage control.
First, at the direction of one or two board members rather than the full board as norms dictate, district staff are now subject to investigations initiated through attorneys and outside agencies. These actions lack transparency and, regardless of intent, have a chilling effect. They pull time, focus, and financial resources away from serving students.
Second, I continue to have serious concerns about compliance with the Brown Act and open meeting requirements. The volume of information shared among the board majority can no longer reasonably be seen as coincidence. Backroom dealings undermine transparency, which is the foundation of public trust and effective leadership.
Third, at our last meeting, a bylaw revision was proposed that would give the board president sole agenda-setting authority in the event of disagreement with the superintendent. This may seem minor, but it represents a meaningful shift of power away from professional staff and undermines shared governance and trust in our new superintendent. Quiet, technical bylaw changes matter because they shape priorities in ways that may appear innocuous to the public but can give individuals without a vested interest in students, or those driven by personal grievances, undue influence over how we meet student needs.
Fourth, I want to address the amplification of misinformation. False assertions made under the authority, or perceived authority, of this board are not harmless. A school district’s reputation is a public asset. Undermining it affects morale, recruitment, enrollment, partnerships, property values, and ultimately our ability to deliver for students. It costs everyone.
Taken together, these actions reveal a broader pattern. Historian Timothy Snyder reminds us that democratic backsliding rarely begins with dramatic national events. It begins locally, through small technical changes that concentrate power, sideline professional expertise, and normalize extraordinary measures, often justified by appeals to a supposedly great past. Institutions hollow out as norms erode. Appeasement does not work. Leaders have an obligation to recognize these patterns early and defend the institutions that serve the most vulnerable, including our children.
While I am often labeled an obstructionist by the board majority, I am simply heeding this warning. That includes my decision not to serve on a governance committee designed to consolidate power and pursue bylaw changes behind closed doors rather than in public, where these conversations belong.
Governing through nostalgia, with questionable characterizations of the past and misunderstandings of how education law has evolved, does not restore excellence. It destabilizes institutions and affects student outcomes. Accountability matters, but when it is exercised through intimidation, secrecy, and falsehoods, it becomes coercion. That is corrosive and pulls the board away from the student-centered work the community expects.
School boards exist to deliberate openly, tell the truth, follow the law, and protect educators so they can focus on students, not survival.
In closing, I urge the board majority to recommit to lawful process, factual integrity, and institutional restraint. End unauthorized and retaliatory investigations. Correct false public claims. Resist governance changes that concentrate power rather than build trust.
Our authority is borrowed from the public, for the public. Abusing it places the district at serious legal and reputational risk. Defending this district means defending its people, its credibility, its institutions, and the democratic norms that make public education possible.
Think Twice. No, think three times.
Before accepting the narrative being offered, consider the full picture. FUEL takes a closer look at what is being said, what is being left out, and why it matters for our community.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR PUBLISHED BY LAGUNA BEACH INDEPENDENT WEEK OF JANUARY 30, 2026
The Jan. 22, 2026 School Board meeting achieved a new low in Laguna Beach civic governance. At issue was Bylaw 9322 which currently states that creation of the Board Meeting Agenda is shared with the School Board and the Superintendent. The Board majority consisting of Hills, Morgan and Perry want to amend the Bylaw to state that the Board President has the final say. The drawback to this seemingly innocuous distinction is that it would allow the Board President to eliminate Agenda items not to their liking and/or agendize issues that are not the responsibility of the School Board. Dr. Glass gave a coherent presentation on the perils of this amendment including the fact that none of the 5 top performing school districts in California have such a process. The manner in which Mr Hills questioned Dr. Glass following his presentation was inappropriate and inexcusable. Any normal institution would censure a participant for that type of behavior.
It is clear that the Board majority is not interested in education or our students. They want to settle past grievances and consolidate power. Unfortunately, our options as a community are limited. I urge anyone who cares at all about education in our community to be very careful when voting next November for a School Board Trustee. It is our best chance to correct this very unfortunate situation.
Jeb Brown
Laguna Beach
One Year of fuel, built together
One year ago, a small group of parents came together after a shift in leadership on our LBUSD school board. What began as a response to that moment has grown into a trusted, parent-led organization of over 500 supporters. Here is what this first year meant and where we go from here.
Dear FUEL Community,
One year ago, a small group of parents came together out of concern after a shift in leadership and control of our LBUSD school board. What began as a response to that moment has grown into something enduring.
In just twelve months, FUEL has become a trusted, parent-led organization of over 500 supporters made up of parents, concerned community members, grandparents, former school board members and LBUSD teacher and staff.
We are grounded in facts, guided by shared values, and focused on supporting all LBUSD students. That growth happened because you showed up, engaged, and believed that thoughtful advocacy can make a difference.
This past year taught us something important: when a community takes the time to learn, listen, and organize with care, real progress is possible.
The Work We Did
Over the past year, the FUEL board worked quietly and consistently to build a durable foundation for the organization. Together we:
Researched education policy, district governance, and nonprofit compliance while meeting weekly throughout the year, including a summer retreat focused on long-term planning
Volunteered thousands of hours and self-funded FUEL’s early stages to build the organization from the ground up
Established FUEL as a formal 501(c)(4) with compliant governance, financial systems, reporting, and Directors and Officers insurance
Built a clear and consistent public presence through a website, communications channels, regular board meeting summaries, and ongoing written and in-person engagement
Published a LEARN page that provides clear, fact-based context to counter misinformation about our schools, student population, and district performance compared to county and state averages
Maintained an active, visible presence through attendance at every regular and special school board meeting, consistent public comments, direct meetings, and participation in community events
Built strong relationships with families, educators, district staff, board members, consultants, city leaders, and community organizations
Earned trust as a credible, fact-based resource that families, educators, and community leaders rely on to stay informed, engaged, and involved
The Work You Did
While we are proud of what we established as an organization this year, the most powerful outcome has been the depth of community engagement in support of our students, teachers, and staff. Through thousands of written comments, public remarks at meetings, emails to the board, letters to the editor, and conversations with neighbors, this community:
Advocated for and secured leadership continuity by supporting an internal interim superintendent, helping stabilize the district for teachers and staff after a sudden superintendent departure and new board turmoil
Helped drive a unanimous 5–0 board vote to appoint a new superintendent, elevating an issue that was not initially a board priority until community voices were heard
Mobilized broad community support for a new pool, a highly contentious issue that only moved forward to contract because of strong, visible engagement
Actively pushed back against proposed bylaw and governance changes that would have reduced transparency
Consistently advocated for teachers and staff when their actions, expertise, and integrity were being questioned
Pressed the board to refocus on student-centered priorities, including facilities planning and long-term district strategy
What’s Next
As we move into the next phase, our focus is on turning community engagement into real change at the ballot box. Three school board seats are up for election this November, creating a clear opportunity to shift the current majority and move beyond the dysfunction that has held our district back. We intend to do everything we can to help make that change possible. This community deserves better than what we have today.
To support that effort, FUEL is establishing an affiliated PAC to back candidates who align with student-centered values and to provide clear, factual information to voters. We have identified aligned candidates, plan to endorse a full slate, and will continue advocating for the resources our schools need to thrive.
One year ago, FUEL was an idea shared among concerned parents. Today, it is a steady, credible voice for families and students.
That is because of you.
Thank you for your trust, your engagement, and your belief in this work.
To those who contributed financially to FUEL, thank you. Your financial support made it possible to cover essential legal and compliance needs, secure insurance and governance structures, build our communications and digital infrastructure, and invest in community outreach, education, and events that brought people together. We will send a full 2025 yearly financial report for all donors in the coming month.
If You Want Facts About Our Schools, Start With the Families in Them
In January 2026, FUEL ran its first public advertisement in the Laguna Beach Independent and Stu News Laguna. The ad introduced FUEL to the broader community, explained why parents organized after the December 2024 school board meeting, and outlined what a 501(c)(4) structure allows FUEL to do on behalf of students and families. We are sharing it here as part of our permanent record.
This is FUEL's public introduction to the Laguna Beach community, originally published as an advertisement in the Laguna Beach Independent and Stu News Laguna in January 2026. FUEL (Families Unified for Education in Laguna) is a parent-led 501(c)(4) advocacy organization supporting accountable governance of Laguna Beach Unified School District.
