Candidate Forum Tonight - SVUSD

Tonight at 7 pm there is a voter forum for the three candidates who are running for two seats on the Saddleback Valley Unified School District (SVUSD) Board, that controls Lake Forest.

The forum is co-hosted by the Saddleback Valley Council of PTAs and the League of Women Voters of Orange Coast.

SVUSD encompasses 23 elementary schools, four intermediate schools and four comprehensive high schools located in Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, and Rancho Santa Margarita

The one hour event will take place in the board room at district headquarters, 25631 Peter A. Hartman Way, in Mission Viejo.

Incumbents Dolores Winchell and Dennis Walsh are both campaigning for a second term in office. Challenger Charles “CJ” Brower is seeking his first term.

Winchell is a human resources manager. Walsh, who worked in computer and network support, is retired. Brower is the general manager of Pick Up Stix in Foothill Ranch.

All three are residents of Lake Forest.

Decisions made by SVUSD impact our lives in Lake Forest. For example, in the past –

• · They closed a school near Ridge Route despite considerable opposition from the community.
• · They build a stadium on the grounds of ETHS despite opposition from the neighbors and a lawsuit.
• · They declined to build a new school in the Foothill Ranch/Portola area, despite the anticipated influx of more than 6,000 children as a result of the 5,000+ new homes approved by the Council.

This last point will be sure to come up tonight. Both Foothill Ranch and Portola Elementary schools have the highest achieving scores in Lake Forest. Residents of those areas are worried that the influx of new students will result in overcrowding and a decrease in academic achievement.

Try to attend this important meeting. The quality of our schools is a major issue for all of us.

For my most recent article about SVUSD, click here

About Jim Gardner

Dr. Jim Gardner is the editor of CITY WATCH on The Patch and a contributing editor to OC Politics and Voice of OC. He is running for City Council in Lake Forest. You can check him out on LinkedIn and/or Facebook.

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