Amy Hanacek, CUSD Board Trustee, is seeking reelection to a fourth term on the board of the largest school district in Orange County – in late 2023 Hanacek voted to reject a policy to notify parents of signs of mental distress in their students.
Amy Hanacek, a resident of Capistrano Beach for nearly 40 years, is seeking re-election to the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) School Board for her fourth consecutive term. As a mother of two CUSD alumni and a veteran of many volunteer positions in the district, Hanacek is known locally as a staunch supporter of the California public school system.
In October 2023, CUSD made headlines in Orange County by rejecting a policy that would have required school faculty and staff to notify parents of children showing signs of mental distress, depression, and other mental health issues. This included issues related to gender identity, which garnered attention from parents and government officials. As Orange County’s largest school district, with more than 40,000 students, CUSD’s decision was a strong and somewhat controversial statement in favor of protecting students’ right to privacy. The board voted down the policy 5-2, with Hanacek among the majority.
After earning a BA in Business and Public Administration from the University of Arizona, the Tucson native moved to Southern California and began her career with DeLorean Motor Company and Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America. She later met her husband, David, and the couple turned to entrepreneurship. The Hanaceks have built several successful small businesses, starting with a custom closet company in Laguna Hills, which they founded in 1983 and sold at a profit in 1995. This background in small business investment has given Hanacek insight into fiscal policy, which she applies as a board trustee. She faces what she describes as “fiscal challenges created by Sacramento” while striving to provide students with “every opportunity to excel in a supportive, stable environment.“
Elected to the board in 2012, Hanacek has been re-elected twice, in 2016 and 2020. Her accomplishments include expanding STEM offerings in the district in partnership with Career and College Advantage, where she also serves as a board trustee. According to Hanacek’s campaign website, CUSD is the only school district in California to offer surgical tech courses to students and to have ICan Investigation Labs at the elementary level and innovation labs at the middle school level. Additionally, Hanacek has introduced Junior ROTC and Seal of Civic Engagement opportunities for all CUSD students.
Elections for the CUSD board will be held Nov. 5, 2024.
