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Parents and Pop Warner coaches urge district to preserve practice fields and restore theater staffing
Summary
Community speakers told the Saddleback Valley USD board the loss of long‑used practice fields and an absence of a permanent theater teacher at Los Alisos Middle School harm inclusion, team size and student opportunity; they asked the board to protect shared spaces and prioritize arts staffing.
Multiple community members and youth‑sports volunteers pressed the Saddleback Valley Unified School District board to preserve long‑used practice fields and to support consistent arts staffing at Los Alisos Middle School.
Mike Austin, a board member of the Saddleback Valley Pop Warner organization, said his league — which serves hundreds of children from Mission Viejo, Lake Forest and Laguna Hills — has lost access in recent years to practice space historically used for more than five decades as exclusive, year‑round allocations were granted to paid club programs. He said the Pop Warner league provides scholarships and inclusive, low‑cost opportunities and asked the district to help ensure continued access to fields that feed district high school programs.
Polly, who identified herself as head coach for a special‑needs SD Spirit Team affiliated with Pop Warner, told the board that shared practice space is central to inclusion and social development and that losing the fields would set back athletes who rely on community‑based practice opportunities. Julie McCree reiterated the importance of a single hub to host multiple teams, describing how limited space would reduce team sizes and break community traditions.
Separately, parent Katie Ryan urged the board to make the Los Alisos Middle School theater program a permanent placement with a committed teacher after an interim instructor’s year produced no performances and limited community engagement. A board member read a letter from Principal Mike Mazzilli assuring parents there are no plans to close the drama program and that the district and administration are actively looking for the right long‑term teacher.
Board response and context
Board and staff acknowledged the concerns and said they are aware of the issues and are working on transitions. No formal action to reassign facilities or change allocations was taken at the meeting; the board heard these as public comments and asked staff to continue engagement with impacted groups.
