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La Cumbre teachers and SBCA parents urge Santa Barbara Unified to keep full‑time principals
Summary
Teachers and parents at La Cumbre Junior High and Santa Barbara Community Academy told the Santa Barbara Unified board they oppose assigning one principal to both campuses, arguing the move would stretch leadership thin and harm students with high needs. The board reported it had appointed a principal for SBCA and directed adding an assistant principal.
Members of the La Cumbre Junior High staff and parents from Santa Barbara Community Academy pressed the Santa Barbara Unified School District board on May 19 to halt a plan that would split one principal between the two campuses.
Shannon Curtis, a La Cumbre teacher, told the board that La Cumbre educates the district’s largest share of socioeconomically disadvantaged junior‑high students, serves far more emergent multilingual learners than other junior highs and leads the district in crisis‑intervention referrals. "Expecting one person to meet the complex academic, social, emotional and safety demands of two distinct schools — one junior high and one elementary — is not just unrealistic, it is inequitable," Curtis said.
Kendall Stevens, another La Cumbre teacher, cited school data — including a high percentage of students eligible for free and reduced‑price meals and high numbers of newcomers and students with IEPs — and warned that making the principal position part‑time would hurt classroom support, behavior interventions and instructional monitoring. "If Santa Barbara Unified truly believes in the practice of equity, La Cumbre should be prioritized and be given more support," Stevens said.
Parents at both campuses echoed those concerns. Brianna Serrato, who represents families at La Cumbre and SBCA on multiple committees, asked the board to pause the plan so families and staff can be surveyed and properly informed. Several parents said they were surprised to learn about the staffing change at a parent meeting and had not received prior written communication from district leaders.
The board responded that it had taken several actions in closed session before returning to open session. The board announced 5–0 votes to approve a special‑education pre‑litigation settlement and to appoint Bradley Brock as principal of Santa Barbara Community Academy with direction to the superintendent to appoint a full‑time assistant principal at SBCA starting July 1, 2026. The board also announced a slate of other appointments, including Mary Anne Hu (assistant superintendent, student and family services) and principals for other elementary schools.
Board members and staff acknowledged the worry among families at public comment and said the district will work on clearer, written communications going forward. Superintendent Dr. Maldonado told parents there were no plans to close SBCA next year and that the district intends to provide an assistant principal to maintain site leadership.
The meeting’s action items include formal approval of the SBCA principal appointment and a directive to the superintendent to place a full‑time assistant principal at SBCA starting July 1, 2026.
The board did not take further immediate action on the staffing model for La Cumbre; trustees encouraged continued dialogue between site leaders, staff and families and asked district staff to consider communication and transition plans.
The board moved on to other agenda items after the public comment period; several parents said they would continue to follow the staffing and communication work with the district.
