Recap: July 22, 2025 SAUSD Board Meeting
Good morning Santaneros! It is Thursday, July 24, 2025, meaning there's less week left until rent is due!
We'd like to thanks the 130+ individuals who have donated to our GoFundMe fundraiser so far. We're a little over 20% of the way to reaching our $25,000 goal to help sustain The Santanero for the months to come. As mentioned, if you're curious to know what The Santanero will spend this money on, click here.
Board approves updates to Advanced Placement art classes, new music class
The Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to approve updates to its Advanced Placement (AP) or college-level art courses to match that of current rigorous curriculum that will prepare students learn art drawing, as well as 2D and 3D art and design.
The Board also voted 5-0 to add a new piano music theory class for students in 6th-8th grade. The class will go over piano techniques as well as teach the musical theory of piano playing, including scale progression.
AP Art will now be called AP Drawing and continue to be offered at the high schools it was offered at last school year. The Board or the agenda item did not dictate when the newly approved AP 2D Art & Design and AP 3D Art & Design, as well as the new piano class, would begin being taught. It could come as early as August or as late as next school year.
Board votes 4-1 to pass resolution supporting immigrant families, calls on federal leaders to act
The Board voted 4-1, to pass an immigrant-safety resolution that reaffirmed its stance against cooperating with federal immigration agencies, upheld its commitment to students, parents, staff, and the community to support and educate families on their rights, and call on federal representatives to act.
Brenda Lebsack was the only Board member to abstain and used her time to pivot into a familiar tirade about California’s gender frameworks and “spiritual abuse”—tying it to immigrant students and parents who may be affected when applying for citizenship.
Staff briefs Board on successful Know Your Rights campaign
The bulk of Tuesday's meeting was dedicated to staff presenting an update to its 'Know Your Rights' campaign to educate the community on their rights when encountering federal immigration authorities.
Over 6,200 people have benefitted from workshops held by the District or in local partnerships. Staff also distributed over 1,000 uniforms to parents with students in elementary and intermediate schools.
Staff has published several posters recommended to the Board for consideration of having be displayed at FACE centers across District campuses.
Board votes 4-1 to cement Bustamante as new assistant superintendent
The Board voted 4-1 to approve the three-year contract of recently promoted Assistant Superintendent of Student Services Edward Bustamante, who formerly was principal at Saddleback High School for nine years.
Bustamante turned Saddleback around since his arrival in the fall of 2015, where he dealt with the death of District Safety Officer Nobel Franklin within the first few weeks becoming principal.
He fought for a stadium after Saddleback's Jerry Witte Field wasn't enough to accommodate all of Roadrunner Athletics. On the 56th anniversary of the school, a big grand opening was held.
Aside from the physical changes to the campus, Bustamante made moral changes too. Instead of avoiding ASB, he went to them asking what changes they'd like to see in 2015. Embarking on changing the campus life, he was able to gain the trust of many students through his humility and stern advocacy for the best of students.
FROM A BREAKING UPDATE
Atikah Osman named new Saddleback principal, John Bennett replaces Casper at Segerstrom
The Santa Ana Unified School District Board unanimously approved on Tuesday the promotion of Dr. Atikah Osman to principal of Saddleback High School.
She succeeds Edward Bustamante, who served in the role for nearly a decade before being elevated to Assistant Superintendent of Student Services in June. Osman is alumna of Century High School and arrived to Saddleback as Assistant Principal in 2021.
Additionally, the Board voted 5-0 in favor of appointing John W. Bennett of Villa Intermediate as the new principal of Segerstrom High School, following the removal of community-beloved and former principal, David Casper.
That's your recap! Next meeting will be in August for both SAUSD and the City of Santa Ana.
