Jennifer Adnams, a 30-year educator and teacher at Cabrillo Point Academy, is running for CUSD Area 1 School Board to reverse trends in enrollment and restore parental involvement in local schools.
Jennifer Adnams, a mom and educator of more than 30 years, recently announced she is running to become a trustee for Capistrano Unified School District in an effort to “help save the district” and return it to “the gold standard” of public education in California.
Adnams entered the race earlier this summer to address what she and her husband – both longtime area educators – view as a lack of parental involvement in local schools and a departure from prioritizing academic excellence. She first considered running after the School Board last October voted to reject a parental notification policy
She seeks a seat on the CUSD School Board because she believes she can help make the district desirable to families again like it was when she began her teaching career in the 1990s.
“We’re experiencing a massive withdrawal from the school district. Parents are choosing other options. I want to know why [CUSD] is bleeding students and I want to make it a top-notch option for families again,” Adnams said.
Adnams is currently employed as a teacher at the Cabrillo Point Academy public charter school. She said the nature of her work makes her familiar with statewide standards at every grade level and able to help CUSD students obtain the skills they need to succeed after graduation.
She also identified statewide disciplinary policies as a problem she wants to fix in local schools and said state lawmakers have adopted other rules related to diversity, equity and inclusion and social emotional learning that force teachers to spend less time teaching and more time doing unrelated work.
“The disastrous discipline policies are making it unsafe for kids to be in the classroom, Adnams said. A lot of these come down from Sacramento, but they tie the hands of teachers and administrators from reinforcing positive behavior and disciplining atrocious behavior.”
Adnams added that parents who are tired of schools injecting social issues into the classroom are sending their children to other schools, an option not all families enjoy.
“A lot of families don’t have that option, and that’s why we need to bring CUSD back to its original, amazing roots.”
The CUSD Area 1 School Board seat is currently held by Amy Hanacek, who is running for re-election. The seat covers parts of San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente, and all of Dana Point.
Four of the district’s seven school board seats are up for election this fall. The election will be held on November 5.
