Parents and coaches press SVUSD to protect youth fields, reduce class sizes and reconsider heavy device use

Several parents and community coaches used the district's public comment period to press the Saddleback Valley Unified School District to protect long‑used practice fields, reduce class sizes where feasible and rethink heavy 1:1 device use in early grades.

Mike Austin, representing Saddleback Valley Pop Warner, said his nonprofit serves about 450 children and has been unable to secure enough practice space in recent years after city allocations and long‑term exclusive field uses went to club programs. "We are the feeder program to your high schools," Austin told the board, urging district advocacy to preserve the Los Elizos practice fields the organization has used for decades.

Polly Pantelidu, head coach for the SD Spirit Team, said the shared practice space is essential for an inclusive spirit team that supports young athletes with special needs. "Losing the shared space would feel like taking a step backwards," she said, describing how joint practices, family dinners and shared seasons build confidence and readiness for high school programs.

Julie McCree, another longtime coach, said losing the hub would force teams to split up and constrict roster sizes, limiting opportunities for many players. The three coaches asked the board to consider the community value of maintaining the contiguous practice site.

On academic concerns, Andrew Spindler, a parent who said he obtained district class‑size data through public‑records requests, presented comparative figures showing higher odds of students ending up in classes of 30 or more at Saddleback than at a neighboring district. "If you're in Saddleback, 46% of elementary classes have 30 kids or more," Spindler said, arguing the district should aim to match peer districts rather than accept higher class‑size likelihoods.

Allison Rose, an SVUSD office manager, described rising disruptive behaviors and said staffing models must change to provide more site‑level support and behavioral intervention resources. She called for updated staffing to reduce classroom disruptions and the workload on exhausted teachers.

Nikita Ganatra, owner of a local Kumon center, asked the board to reconsider reliance on 1:1 devices for foundational reading and math in early grades. Ganatra cited research and practitioner experience suggesting device‑heavy instruction can hinder development of early literacy and math skills and recommended the board prioritize developmentally appropriate, teacher‑led instruction and more extensive study before expanding device use for K–2 screening.

Chair read a letter from Principal Mike Mazzilli ensuring the board is not planning to shut down the middle‑school drama program and said the district will seek the right permanent hire for the program.

The board heard the public comments before taking up the budget and agreed to keep the issues in mind as staffing and budget tradeoffs are considered. Board members asked staff to continue following up and to report back on contract lengths and staffing options.