Spotlight Schools Newsletter: April 2025

THE LATEST ON TK-12 EDUCATION IN ORANGE COUNTY

In this month's newsletter:

• 🏫 School closures are on the horizon for some Orange County school districts.
• After ousting a trustee by declaring his seat vacant, the Anaheim Elementary School Board appointed the board president's cousin, the only applicant, to fill the position.
• 📱 The Los Alamitos Unified School Board held its first public discussion on creating a districtwide policy restricting students' cellphone use during the school day.
• 🎤 See how Fullerton School District students wowed a massive crowd at a Buena Park mall in the first-ever K-Pop Battle of the Bands competition

👀 Check out our coverage outside of your inbox. Spotlight Schools is active on Instagram and we share our stories on X, Facebook, and SpotlightSchools.com.

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Yours in knowledge,

Jeannette Andruss, Co-founder of Spotlight Schools

O.C. School Districts Consolidating Campuses

The Saddleback Valley USD will close one elementary campus at the end of this school year, while Capistrano Unified, and others, are considering future consolidation plans.

At least two school districts in Orange County are consolidating campuses at the end of this school year, while others are exploring potential school closures in the future.

For many districts, these decisions are driven primarily by ongoing declines in student enrollment and rising costs that have led to deficit spending.

This is the case in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. The TK-12 district, which operates 34 campuses in southern Orange County, reconvened a Facilities Focus Group late last year. Comprised of parents, union members, and administrators, the group was tasked with recommending a merger between two schools. Seven campuses with current or projected enrollment of fewer than 400 students were under consideration. The group also had to consider the legal requirement to provide facility space to an expanding charter school in the district.

“As all of our [focus group] members can attest, this was a very emotional process and reaching a decision and recommendation was not easy,” Robert Craven, SVUSD Assistant Superintendent for Business Services said at the February 6 school board meeting. 

That evening, the SVUSD board voted to close San Joaquin Elementary at the end of this school year. Last academic year, the school had 229 students enrolled. The K-6 campus, built in 1974, is located in Laguna Hills in an area of the district with an aging population and fewer school-age children. Most of the students will attend Olivewood Elementary in the fall, located a few miles away.

“I wish there was a better way, because it is just devastating for the families, especially when your community is so revolved around your school,” Catherine Beeny, a member of the focus group and president of the Saddleback Valley Council of Parent Teacher Associations (PTA), said in a recent phone interview. Beeny and her fellow PTA volunteers have launched a fundraising campaign to help pay for an end-of-the-year celebration at San Joaquin. 

Some Anaheim Union High School District students will also shift campuses next year. The district, serving 7th-12th graders, will close Orangeview Junior High at the end of this school year. In the fall, Orangeview seventh and eighth graders will attend classes at Western High School, joining the ninth - 12th graders. The merger, approved in 2023, will save the district an estimated $1 million.

The Capistrano Unified School District has no plans to consolidate any campuses for the 2025-26 school year, but it has been hosting meetings regarding enrollment trends and school capacity and has identified ten campuses to study further.

One scenario could impact Del Obispo Elementary in San Juan Capistrano, which marked its 50th anniversary in March. While Del Obispo’s future is not certain, some residents are already taking action. A petition on Change.org argues against closing the K-5 campus that has around 350 students. A group has also sprouted up on Instagram to organize opposition to Del Obispo’s potential consolidation. The account @SaveDelObispo is rallying people to attend the district’s next board meeting happening on April 23. “Let’s fill the room. Let’s be impossible to ignore. Let’s save our school,” reads a recent post.

Read the whole story on SpotlightSchools.com.

Anaheim Elementary School Board Appoints President's Cousin to fill Vacancy

Board President said there is no conflict of interest

The Anaheim Elementary School District Board of Education has appointed a new representative for Trustee Area 4.

During a meeting on April 16, three trustees voted in favor, and one abstained, to appoint Alva Álvarez to temporarily fill the seat, which was vacated in a close and controversial vote the previous month.

Before the vote at the April meeting, Board President Juan Gabriel Álvarez disclosed that Ms. Álvarez is his cousin. He stated: "I just want to make it clear that I'm looking at this through objectivity. ... And I make it clear that it's no conflict for me to be participating in interviews, participating in the voting." He added that he had received legal guidance indicating there was no conflict of interest.

The vacancy followed a March 3 special meeting, where Mr. Álvarez led a 3-2 vote to declare the Trustee Area 4 seat vacant—effectively ousting trustee Mark Lopez, who had held the position since 2018. Mr. Álvarez argued that Lopez could no longer serve because he was also elected to the North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees in the 2024 election.

According to Mr. Álvarez, the board received legal guidance stating that holding both positions was “incompatible” under state law. Lopez disagreed and contended that the board should have first sought a legal opinion from State Attorney General Rob Bonta before taking action.

Two candidates qualified for interviews for the Area 4 appointment: Ms. Álvarez and Maria Louisa Silang. However, Silang withdrew her application in the days leading up to the April 16 meeting.

Ms. Álvarez, a mental health specialist with the Santa Ana Unified School District and former AESD parent, was appointed to serve through December 2026.

During her public interview for the position, Ms. Álvarez emphasized the importance of listening to stakeholders to build more inclusive schools. "I think it's really important, again, to have conversations, to build those relationships, to gain that trust."

Trustee Ryan Ruelas was the lone abstention. Before the vote, he described Ms. Álvarez as "great," but said he had concerns about cousins serving on the board together. "We could always have this kind of cloud hanging over us in regards to, is this ethical or not? Is this correct or not? ... I do feel that, unfortunately, this is the situation that we're in now."

The AESD board's next regularly scheduled meeting is May 14.

Reporting contributed by Germaine Neumann-Chau.

🗳️ Other School Board Political News: In the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, a special election will be held June 10 to fill a vacancy on its school board. This comes after someone filed a formal petition and collected enough signatures to challenge the January appointment of Kristin Walsh, a district parent and occupational therapist, to fill the Trustee Area 5 seat left open when Michelle Barto won her race for the Newport Beach City Council. Walsh is running in June and will face Andrea McElroy, a businesswoman and parent. See the candidate statements here. More coverage: Two candidates qualify for special election for Newport-Mesa school board seat // The Orange County Register

📱 More Districts Enacting Cellphone Restrictions

On March 31, the Anaheim Elementary School District officially implemented new cellphone restrictions at its campuses, barring students from accessing the devices during the school day unless there is an emergency or in a few other scenarios.

The Anaheim Union High School District Board of Trustees passed a revised policy on "electronic signaling devices" at an April 10 meeting.

At its March 25 workshop, the Los Alamitos Unified School District Board of Education had its first discussion about drafting a new district-wide policy on students' use of cellphones at its nine campuses which include six elementary schools, two middle schools, and Los Alamitos High School.

"Research tells us that mobile communications, access to them in the school setting, it just has negatively impacted our students, both from an academic perspective and a social emotional development," board member Farnaz Pardasani stated.

Trustees appeared to have consensus about restricting cellphone use during instructional time for all grade levels. Board member Matt Bragman questioned if the language should be more specific. "I think it's not instructional time, it's classroom time," he said, and continued, "Because we have visited classes at the high school where teachers are saying, 'My instruction is done, do what you want' or 'you finished your homework, you can go on your phone.'"

There was discussion about varying the rules for K-8th graders and high school students. Right now, the LAHS policy states 9th-12th graders can use their devices during passing periods and lunch. "I think K-8 is a different beast and I think high school needs some more flexibility," board member Chris Forehan said.

Board Vice President Diana Hill said she would like to see a bell-to-bell ban on students' using cellphones at schools arguing that it would give students a break from the pull to be online. But Hill recognized that she may not find support from parents that want to be able to communicate with their children 24/7. She also acknowledged what other board members noted was the logistical challenges of implementing and enforcing a total ban at the high school that has around 3,000 students.

"But I think in some ways it would be a gift to give to our kids that, for six or seven hours, you don't have to deal with this. You have to deal with where you are, being present and at the moment," Hill said.

A draft of the policy will be presented at a later meeting for projected implementation in the fall of 2025. California law requires districts to create a policy aimed at limiting the use of cellphones by July 2026.

Read our past coverage on cellphone policies at SpotlightSchools.com.

Ethnic Studies Curriculum Review

The Orange County Department of Education is seeking the public's input on its new Ethnic Studies curriculum. Developed in response to a 2021 state law requiring students take an Ethnic Studies course to graduate from high school, the semester-long course was created for students at OCDE's Alternative, Community, and Correctional Education Schools and Services (ACCESS) program, but the Orange County Board of Education hopes it will be used as a model for schools locally, statewide, and even nationwide.

"[The course] aims to empower students by honoring their identities while promoting a broader understanding of the American experience through diverse perspectives — not to divide, but to foster respect, connection and unity,” Stefan Bean, Ed.D., the O.C. Superintendent of Schools, wrote in the draft outline.

You can check out the draft course in person at the OCDE's Argosy Campus or request a digital copy of the course outline by emailing espublicreview@o​cde.us. Public input will be accepted through May 2. More information from the OCDE Newsroom.

Related: University of California faculty considering its own high school ethnic studies mandate // EdSource

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Los Alamitos High School Dance Program Presents: An Unfortunate Chain of Events

SHOW TIMES: April 30, 4:30 p.m.; May 1-3, 7 p.m.

Don’t miss this all new original production about love, friendship, and being happy with who you are and where you are.

You know when you’ve had that worst day ever where you can trace it back to the one thing that set it all off? Now imagine that one horrible day, where one bad thing led to another, is the day you are forced to repeat in a seemingly endless time loop. That is where Layla Miller finds herself, stuck in a time loop filled with an unfortunate chain of events. And every time the day comes to an end, a red door appears signaling for Layla to walk through and try the day all over again. Will she figure out how to make it all stop? Come to the LAHS Dance performance to find out. 

Purchase tickets at https://www.ticketleap.events/events/lahs-dance

Other Stories We're Reading

Note: some links may have a paywall or require a subscription to read.

• California launches data system tracking how public high school students fare after graduation // EdSource (Search for your school district here)
• Segerstrom High School principal, baseball coach removed after CIF violations confirmed; students fire back with petitions // The Santanero
• Former State Sen. Josh Newman is now running for California’s schools chief // The O.C. Register
• Why did a Capistrano USD Board Member say the N-Word during a meeting? // Voice of OC
• California’s schools chief has a $200,000 salary and a side gig // CalMatters
• What is a “wellness check” and why are Homeland Security Officials conducting them at schools? // LAist
• Supreme Court appears to favor parents’ right to opt their children out of LGBTQ+ stories at school // L.A. Times
• California defies Trump’s order to certify all school districts have eliminated DEI // L.A. Times
• In pilot program, Riverside County high school graduates with good grades guaranteed admission to Cal State schools // CalMatters
• Orange County classified employees offered $3,500 grant to pursue teaching career // OCDE Newsroom
• Survey: Most Adults in California say teaching basics should be the No. 1 goal of school; parents of students disagree // EdSource
• One Orange County school district given 2025 "Green Ribbon" honors // California Dept. of Education Press Release
• More than 40 O.C. campuses named among California’s Distinguished Schools // OCDE Newsroom
• Some high schools are teaching teens how to sleep // Associated Press
• Los Alamitos High School Griffin Gazette's April Fool's Day satirical stories // Griffin Gazette

🎤 Students Shine in First-Ever K-Pop Battle of the Bands

On a recent evening at an outdoor mall in Buena Park, 25 Fullerton School District students bubbled with excitement behind a giant stage.

They had spent months preparing for this moment. After several auditions, weeks of rehearsals and trainings, and culturally enriching outings, five teams representing five FSD schools were about to sing and dance their hearts out in the district’s first-ever Korean Pop Music Battle of the Bands finale. 

“I’ve never seen anything like it at school!,” professed K-pop fan and Ladera Vista Junior High School of The Arts team member Fionna S. exclaimed backstage.

April 9 was the big night for Fionna and the other sixth, seventh, and eighth graders competing in the inaugural contest where students emulated K-pop groups known for impeccably synchronized choreography, energetic vocals, and flashy fashion. In addition to Ladera Vista, the other FSD campuses represented were: Beechwood School , Fisler School, Parks Junior High, and Nicolas Junior High.

Read the whole story on SpotlightSchools.com.

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