2 SVUSD High Schools Win Kudos

Two area high schools won special praise this month, Saddleback Valley Unified officials said.

At El Toro High, a team from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges visited the campus earlier this month and said it “had never seen staff members so excited about ... improving their craft," according to Saddleback Valley Unified school board clerk Don Sedgwick.

Meanwhile, Laguna Hills High School was named school of the year by the Spanish embassy in Washington, D.C. It was the only U.S. school selected for the academic-excellence-in-Spanish award, based on its innovative Spanish immersion program. 

The plaudits were mentioned at last week's SVUSD school board meeting.

In other board news...

Budget Update

If the economy continues to improve, funding for each student could increase from $5,212 to $5,397 for the 2013-14 school year, according to Assistant Superintendent of Business Geri Partida.

“We are finally moving forward,” Superintendent Clint Harwick said.

Fee Revisions

The board revised fees and charges for school-sponsored activities. Officials said parents may no longer be asked to pay fees or donations for enrichment programs.