Facilities, Equity
Parents Advocate League Executive Director reacts to Monday night's Board meeting
Feb 13, 2008
We received the following letter by Parents Advocate
League Executive Director Julie Collier in a Feb 13
mass email from district reform
advocates.
Dear Superintendent and Trustees,
I am a parent of a 3rd grader in Mission Viejo. I was in attendance at last evening's meeting and I have to tell you how completely saddened I am at the lack of respect you (with exception of 3 board members)have shown toward our Mission Viejo Schools.
First, I would like to address your lack of preparation as it pertains to our boundary issues. I can't count how many times I heard you, Mr. Carter, make this statement, "I don't have that information in front of me." We were in front of this board in December. This was TWO months ago. Read More...
Dear Superintendent and Trustees,
I am a parent of a 3rd grader in Mission Viejo. I was in attendance at last evening's meeting and I have to tell you how completely saddened I am at the lack of respect you (with exception of 3 board members)have shown toward our Mission Viejo Schools.
First, I would like to address your lack of preparation as it pertains to our boundary issues. I can't count how many times I heard you, Mr. Carter, make this statement, "I don't have that information in front of me." We were in front of this board in December. This was TWO months ago. Read More...
Comments
MV reform advocate addresses CUSD Final Budget Workshop, shares essay on Newhart overcrowding by Barbara Casserly
Feb 12, 2008
We received the following Feb 12 email from Sharon
O'Brien, a Mission Viejo reform advocate affiliated
with Save Our Schools in C.U.S.D. ("SOS").
Dear Parents,
The extreme fallout from last night's board meeting is too incredible and mountainous to put in one email so I will give you some topline and other resources to read.
This feedback distribution list began with bus transportation and after last night, the buses are pretty much a thing of the past. Unfortunately, buses are now the least of our problems.
In last night's meeting, the CUSD reform trustees were magnificent and really spoke up for the interests of Mission Viejo , especially Newhart Middle school (see attached essay for details). The Superintendent recommended "do nothing" for the overcrowding at Newhart and the 4 old guard trustees agreed, despite calls to look at other options (stop bussing San Juan kids into our city, look at k-6, etc.). They moved on to address the concerns of San Clemente residents who had turned out in full force last month over their overcrowding issue and worked very hard to resolve that constituency's problem.
See CUSD Board Update: 2008-09 Budget Development
See Essay on Newhart Overcrowding by By Barbara Casserly Read More...
Dear Parents,
The extreme fallout from last night's board meeting is too incredible and mountainous to put in one email so I will give you some topline and other resources to read.
This feedback distribution list began with bus transportation and after last night, the buses are pretty much a thing of the past. Unfortunately, buses are now the least of our problems.
In last night's meeting, the CUSD reform trustees were magnificent and really spoke up for the interests of Mission Viejo , especially Newhart Middle school (see attached essay for details). The Superintendent recommended "do nothing" for the overcrowding at Newhart and the 4 old guard trustees agreed, despite calls to look at other options (stop bussing San Juan kids into our city, look at k-6, etc.). They moved on to address the concerns of San Clemente residents who had turned out in full force last month over their overcrowding issue and worked very hard to resolve that constituency's problem.
See CUSD Board Update: 2008-09 Budget Development
See Essay on Newhart Overcrowding by By Barbara Casserly Read More...
Stiff does turnabout on SJHHS stadium bid; joins other Fleming trustees in proceeding before facilities assessment is completed
Dec 11, 2007
CUSD Board sends San Juan Hills High School projects
out to bid
The Capistrano Dispatch
The
Capistrano Unified School District Board of
Trustees voted 4-3 to elicit bids for several large projects at San Juan Hills High School including the campus aquatic facility and the football stadium. Trustees at the previous board meeting tabled the item after concerns that other district campuses needed more essential improvements. The item returned to consideration last night and was passed on yes votes by Mike Darnold, Duane Stiff, Sheila Benecke and Marlene Draper after the wording was changed so that the projects would only go out to bid. Like the vote earlier on the board presidency, Addonizio, Bryson and Christensen banded together for the no vote. Once the bids return the board will discuss whether or not to proceed with the projects based on the costs and an assessment of other facility needs.
Trustees voted 4-3 to elicit bids for several large projects at San Juan Hills High School including the campus aquatic facility and the football stadium. Trustees at the previous board meeting tabled the item after concerns that other district campuses needed more essential improvements. The item returned to consideration last night and was passed on yes votes by Mike Darnold, Duane Stiff, Sheila Benecke and Marlene Draper after the wording was changed so that the projects would only go out to bid. Like the vote earlier on the board presidency, Addonizio, Bryson and Christensen banded together for the no vote. Once the bids return the board will discuss whether or not to proceed with the projects based on the costs and an assessment of other facility needs.
SJHHS stadium...it's baaaaack!
Dec 07, 2007
Just when you thought it was safe to expect some rare, but welcome financial responsibility from CUSD, some of those persistent Fleming-era trustees and staff members bring back the controversial SJHHS stadium proposal, eager to spend meager district resources before the long-awaited, district-wide facilities needs assessment and master plan are even finished. Fiscal responsibility? Facilities equity? They continue to prove that they don't have a clue what those terms mean, as they undertake to cherry pick expensive pet projects, making a mockery of the district's master plan, driving the district into deeper financial peril, and setting the stage to pit parent against parent, again, at next Monday night's Board meeting.
Reform volunteer calls on parents, taxpayers to attend Nov 5th CUSD board meeting to demand equity in facilities spending
Oct 18, 2007
Dear concerned CUSD
parent/taxpayer:
Your help is urgently needed to fight the latest mismanagement and inequity in CUSD. Here's why:
* The "old guard" majority on the Board of Trustees is set to approve up to $12 million dollars in funding to put in a pool and football stadium at the new San Juan Hills High School (SJHHS). This is on top of the estimated $142 million they have already spent on this school that has an enrollment of only 640 students. Meanwhile;
* Students throughout the district sit in substandard, aging facilities with moldy portables, leaky roofs, old dirty carpeting, inadequate or non-existent multi-purpose rooms, rodent infestations, playgrounds/parking spaces that have been taken up by portables to ease overcrowding, etc. (see pictures below) and; Read More...
Your help is urgently needed to fight the latest mismanagement and inequity in CUSD. Here's why:
* The "old guard" majority on the Board of Trustees is set to approve up to $12 million dollars in funding to put in a pool and football stadium at the new San Juan Hills High School (SJHHS). This is on top of the estimated $142 million they have already spent on this school that has an enrollment of only 640 students. Meanwhile;
* Students throughout the district sit in substandard, aging facilities with moldy portables, leaky roofs, old dirty carpeting, inadequate or non-existent multi-purpose rooms, rodent infestations, playgrounds/parking spaces that have been taken up by portables to ease overcrowding, etc. (see pictures below) and; Read More...
Another turf war brewing in CUSD
Oct 17, 2007
Marlene Draper and CUSD staff are playing special
interest politics again, and setting the stage for
more community dissention
By Tom Russell, Spokesperson
CUSD Recall Committee
Last Monday night’s
board meeting (October 15) was an unfortunate
reminder of the days when former Superintendent
Fleming played politics by pandering to local
community interests, usually at the expense of
other communities within the district. If things
didn’t go smoothly, Fleming cleverly diverted
the attention of angry parents away from him and
his staff, to other parents in the district,
causing some of the nastiest turf wars in South
Orange County history. Fleming, in his own
demented way, even bragged about some of the
despicable tactics he used to divide communities
in an article he submitted to the American
Association of School Administrators.
This time, however, the seeds of dissention were being sewn by Fleming-protégé Marlene Draper, who pandered to the interests of parents at the district’s new “gold-plated” San Juan Hills High School. Read More...
By Tom Russell, Spokesperson
CUSD Recall Committee
This time, however, the seeds of dissention were being sewn by Fleming-protégé Marlene Draper, who pandered to the interests of parents at the district’s new “gold-plated” San Juan Hills High School. Read More...
SJC City Council should withdraw its opposition to recall
Oct 02, 2007
By Barbra Casserly, Mission Viejo
Good evening Honorable Mayor and City Council. Thank you for providing me with the opportunity to speak. My name is Barbara Casserly and I am a resident of Mission Viejo.
The last time you considered this item you considered the cost of the election. I ask you to consider the cost of allowing the current leadership to continue to take from our children’s schools. We cannot allow the current leadership to pass one more budget. We are experiencing our sixth year of budget deficits because for several years CUSD was a district where our seven Trustees voted together – on every single item. Details were left to key staff members who were rewarded with frequent contract renewals and high praise. CUSD Trustees did not display dirty laundry in public as the dirty laundry was swept under the rug the infrastructure of the district started crumbling.
Read More...
Reform advocate identifies basic inequities of CUSD's misplaced priorities
Sep 28, 2007
By Sharon Campbell, Mission Viejo
I am a longtime parent volunteer and active supporter of Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) schools. I, like many others, have dedicated time to serve the students and staff of CUSD. As a resident of Mission Viejo I can say I have never believed Trustee Draper had any interest in the condition of the schools or the children of my community. I have heard her talk a lot about the schools and children in San Juan, but in the past three or four years I have not heard any level of interest about other communities in CUSD, and I attend every board meeting. Trustee Draper does not seem to understand the impact she has on the schools outside her own city. I recently wrote to her about two comments I continually hear her make that led me to my conclusion, but she did not respond. Read More...
Superintendent Fleming’s Real Legacy
Aug 14, 2006
CUSD Recall Committee Demands Fleming Be Removed
Immediately
Rancho
Santa Margarita, CA. CUSD Superintendent
James Fleming has “resigned” in disgrace. “This
moves us one step closer to restoring honesty,
integrity and accountability into our public
school system,” said Thomas Russell,
spokesperson for the CUSD Recall Committee.
A. Immediate Disciplinary Action Must Be Taken.
Very serious allegations involving criminal activity have been leveled against Fleming (and possibly the Trustees). An overwhelming amount
of evidence supporting these allegations has been made public. Given these facts, we believe Fleming cannot be allowed to serve another day as the Superintendent of the Capistrano Unified School District. Read More...
A. Immediate Disciplinary Action Must Be Taken.
Very serious allegations involving criminal activity have been leveled against Fleming (and possibly the Trustees). An overwhelming amount
of evidence supporting these allegations has been made public. Given these facts, we believe Fleming cannot be allowed to serve another day as the Superintendent of the Capistrano Unified School District. Read More...
Superintendent Fleming “Resigns” In Disgrace
Jul 19, 2006
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. CUSD Superintendent James Fleming has “resigned” in disgrace. “This moves us one step closer to restoring honesty, integrity and accountability into our public school system,” said Thomas Russell, spokesperson for the CUSD Recall Committee.
In announcing his resignation, Fleming posted three self-serving, self-aggrandizing and misleading statements on the CUSD official website. In summary, those statements provided: Read More...