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Parents and staff raise concerns about Lighthouse Elementary leadership and staffing; board approves a parent’s volunteer appeal
Summary
Multiple parents and staff urged the Anchor Bay board on April 25 to address leadership, staffing turnover and safety concerns at Lighthouse Elementary. The board pledged follow-up; the board also approved one volunteer appeal allowing a parent with a historical conviction to accompany students on trips.
Several Lighthouse Elementary parents and staff brought grievances to the Anchor Bay School District Board of Education on April 25, describing repeated teacher turnover, office communication problems, alleged bullying incidents and a lack of visible principal engagement.
Multiple speakers said Lighthouse has experienced unusually high staff turnover this year and that the building’s office staff and leadership have been unresponsive. “My kids don’t even like going in the morning. They feel like it’s a prison,” parent Maja Atwal said. Parents described frequent substitute teachers and a string of short-term classroom adults; one parent said her son’s academic performance slipped in kindergarten after multiple teacher changes.
An Anchor Bay staff member and former long-term kindergarten substitute described shortcomings in principal contact: “I received one visit from the principal two minutes before we were headed out for a Halloween parade,” she said. Several parents described missed communications, delays checking in volunteers and inconsistent emergency responses at the front office.
Board members said they had received multiple emails and phone calls and that the board and administration would follow up. “We’ll have follow‑up with the superintendent who we expect to follow-up with you in the next 48 hours,” Board President Green said during public comment.
Separately under the meeting’s consent business, the board considered a volunteer appeal by a parent identified in the meeting only as Parent A. Parent A said the underlying conviction dated more than 20 years earlier and that she has been steadily employed and active in church and volunteer roles. The board voted 4–3 to grant the appeal, allowing the parent to accompany students on trips.
Board members and the superintendent acknowledged the need to protect student safety while maintaining fair processes for volunteers. Trustees said they would seek more immediate remedies for Lighthouse, including possible administrative steps before the end of the school year. Trustee Bergmeier suggested offering optional summer remediation for the affected kindergarten class to address learning gaps caused by teacher turnover.
The board did not vote on personnel matters in public comment but approved follow‑up actions and asked administration to contact concerned families within 48 hours.
