Dear FUEL Community,
Last week, our students reminded us why we do this work. Our graduation rate rose to 99.5%. Science scores climbed seven points. Students are giving up their lunch hour to tell the superintendent how they want to be represented on their own Board.
This is an important week. The Governance Committee meets this afternoon, and Thursday is the last board meeting before Election Day. What happens in that room will be pivotal for the moment we are in.
Today: Standing Governance Committee
Tuesday, October 20 | 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. | District Office, 550 Blumont Street, and on Zoom | Agenda | Link to Zoom
Thursday: Regular Board Meeting
Thursday, October 22 | Thurston Middle School Library, 2100 Park Avenue | Closed Session 4:30 p.m. | Open Session 6:00 p.m. | Link to Agenda | Link to Public Comment | Link to Watch
Item 6 - Superintendent's Student Advisory Council: Students who give up their lunch hour to meet with Dr. Austin will report on two topics they chose: how student representatives to the Board should be selected, and the merits of high school class rankings.
Item 8 - Second Reading of Four Board Policies: Volunteer Assistance, Weather Safety, Student Records, and Board Training return for approval.
Item 9A - Thurston Middle School - 25-26 Targeted Growth Area: Thurston Middle School staff will share the success and deliberate adjustments made for their 2025-26 target growth area in chronic absenteeism, demonstrating significant gains resulting from strategic and intentional site-level interventions.
Item 9B - Learner Profile Dashboard - Student Story: Staff will provide information introducing the Learner Profile Dashboard: Student Story, highlighting its alignment with the Board Goal Area: Mental Health, Wellness, and Digital Balance.
Item 10A - Ability Awareness Project - Schoolwide Kindness and Bullying Prevention Programs: A local nonprofit will present its bullying prevention program at the request of a board member. A video and presentation will detail AAP's whole community strategy, support students, school staff, and parents, as well as the 25-week Guided Kindness Program designed to build a sustainable, everyday culture of empathy across campuses. The staff report lists next steps and cost as "Unknown." Conversations about bullying and school culture are important, and they should be ongoing, transparent, and led by the trained professionals our district employs to support every student.
Item 11A - PARS Retirement Incentive: The district will present a possible voluntary retirement incentive for eligible teachers, classified staff, and managers. PARS projects that 25 of 126 eligible employees might participate. The staff report calls October 22 the "Date of Board Adoption," with enrollment opening October 23, yet the item is listed for information only. A program like this would affect every one of our schools. We support our teachers and staff, and they deserve clear information about what is being decided.
Our Students Are Not Campaign Material
Last week, an email from Trustee Hills was shared with a member of our board by a community member who was concerned about what it contained. We want you to hear about it from us, and we want you to know what we have done.
The email includes videos and still photos of students at Thurston Middle School on May 14. Many of the children are clearly identifiable, and many of them are young. We believe many of the videos were recorded by Trustee Hills himself. The email describes them as "frenzied," labels groups of children with the names of school board candidates, as though the children belonged to them, and states that it was written to circulate the images "as widely as possible before the election." It was sent beyond his own mailing list to an unknown number of people, and the files were posted where anyone who clicked the link could view them.
The first thing we did was notify district administration. We then worked to reach the parents of children who appear in the videos, so that no family would learn about this from a stranger. We will not share the images or videos, and we ask that you do not either.
FUEL's View: We are writing this as parents, and we are deeply disturbed. In his email, Trustee Hills wrote that these children were at an event "where they had no right of privacy." Even if that is true as a legal matter, it is not a standard any member of our Board of Education should hold for the students he serves. A sitting trustee, sworn to serve our students, chose to collect videos of children and send them to people those children have never met, in the middle of an election. He falsely connected school board candidates to other families' children. Attaching candidates' names to children does not inform anyone. It targets them. We believe it puts our children at risk, and we do not believe Trustee Hills can be trusted to protect the privacy and dignity of our students.
No disagreement about May 14 justifies this. Our children are not evidence, and they are not campaign material. This goes far beyond anything appropriate for a member of our Board of Education. We expect the Board to address it, and we expect every adult in this community to keep these children out of it.
Only the Board can hold one of its own members accountable. That is why the full Board needs to hear from this community now. The Board President helps set every agenda, and the majority holds the votes. If they choose not to act, no one else can, and our superintendent, our staff, and the trustees who want to hold their colleagues accountable are left without a way to do what is right. When a board does not hold itself to a standard of integrity, it gives members who behave badly cover to act with impunity, and the confidence to go further. This Board has a choice in front of it. We are asking it to show every family in Laguna Beach that it will protect our students.
The Censure Request
At the October 8 meeting, Trustee Malczewski raised concerns about Trustee Hills' social media posts about Dr. Glass. She noted that the district's separation agreement with Dr. Glass includes a non-disparagement clause in Section 5B, under which members of the Board agree not to "publicly or privately criticize, denigrate, or disparage Dr. Glass." She asked that the matter be placed on a closed session agenda for discussion with legal counsel, followed by an open session vote on censure. Her request is recorded in the October 8 minutes, which the Board will approve on Thursday.
Neither item appears on Thursday's agenda.
October 8 Board Meeting in Brief
Test scores: Districtwide, 78.3% of students met or exceeded standards in English, 73.3% in math, and 70.1% in science. The state's California School Dashboard, released last week, confirms the strength of our schools: six Blue ratings, the state's highest, and two Green. English learner progress improved from 63% to 76%, and chronic absenteeism and suspension rates declined. [Read the district's Dashboard Performance Review]
Budget assumptions: Dr. Austin introduced a new, early budget process. The district's Basic Aid reserve is about $30 million short of what board policy requires, and the Board will need to decide how to address it.
Graduation costs: The combined cost of the 2026 ceremonies rose by about $35,000, with police costs still to come. Trustees Kelly and Malczewski and a CSEA representative spoke about the rushed timeline and the burden it placed on staff.
Who speaks for the Board: President Morgan continues to post on her campaign Instagram account using the title "Board President." Board Bylaw 9010 says members "have a responsibility to identify personal viewpoints as such and not as the viewpoint of the Board," and applies that standard to social media. We believe President Morgan's actions have created confusion in this community during a heated time.
Show Up This Week
This afternoon's committee meeting and Thursday's board meeting are open to the public. Please attend, watch, or submit a public comment if you are able.
Things You Can Do Before November 3
Make Sure You Vote: Return your ballot at an official drop box or vote center by 8:00 p.m. on November 3, or mail it postmarked by Election Day.
Hear from the LBUSD candidates: The PTA Council forum is the only one with all five school board candidates on one stage. Watch the forum here
Watch the State Superintendent debate: Sonja Shaw and Richard Barrera, the two candidates for California Superintendent of Public Instruction, debated on October 7 in a forum hosted by EdSource. The role shapes education policy for every public school in the state. Watch the debate here
Canvass: Knock on doors for Joan Malczewski, Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal, and Kimberly Smith. An hour on a weekend makes a real difference. Volunteer Here
Text or call voters: Help from home with phone and text banking for the candidates. Volunteer Here
Support Measure A: Help spread the word for Safe and Modern Laguna Schools by canvassing, texting, or calling. Link to Measure A volunteer sign-up
Talk to a neighbor: This election will be decided by neighbors talking to neighbors.
Thank you for being part of this community.
FUEL Board
