The May 18 Coronado Unified School District (CUSD) Board Meeting ran longer than usual, with many essential topics on the docket for discussion. 

The meeting kicked off with a celebration and remembrance of the late Brenda Kracht. Kracht was an integral part of the Coronado community; filling many essential roles within the School District, teaching at multiple school sites, and volunteering her time to many clubs and organizations around town. Many touching comments and memories were shared, proving how deeply loved she was in this community. The Kracht family was then welcomed to the front with a standing ovation.

During the May 18 Coronado Unified School Board Meeting, two separate reports were presented regarding the 4x4 bell schedule; a topic that is of high interest throughout the District and the community alike. 

First would be the ​​Coronado High School Bell Schedule Board Report, which was presented by Dr. Megan Battle. The report started off with a brief history of the bell schedule from 2018 to the present. Then a few key points as to why a change in bell schedule was even considered were presented, including the changing landscape in college admissions, more student flexibility, students seeking external classes in order to enhance transcripts for prestigious universities, adding dual enrollment opportunities, and more. 

Dr. Battle explained that changes were coming from the UC/CSU level, and the new bell schedule was ideally meant to accommodate those changes. These changes included

A Coronado High School Faculty member was placed on leave May 24, 2023 due to a pending investigation.

Statement From Coronado Unified School District:

(May 24, 2023)

Coronado Unified School District has placed a Coronado High School employee on paid administrative leave pending an investigation. The investigation does not involve any CUSD student/s.

Four teachers, one from each of the Coronado Unified School District schools, have been selected as Teachers of the Year. The four awardees were nominated and selected by their colleagues and will be recognized publicly at the May 18 school board meeting.

“Recognition of these four outstanding educators is also a celebration of the profession, and our amazing team of teachers across the district. I am inspired by their commitment to our children. Each day, they creatively engage our students and their colleagues,” said Superintendent Karl Mueller.

The League of Wives Memorial will be the first memorial in the country to honor a group of military spouses. These Vietnam POW and MIA wives formally established themselves in Coronado in 1967 as an organization dedicated to ensuring the safe return of their husbands. Eventually, the group expanded to become the National League of Families of Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia, and fifty years ago this spring, 591 Service Members came home, thanks in large part to their efforts. How has this long-overlooked moment in history come to take shape in the beautiful sculpture that will commemorate the League Ladies in Star Park?

A familiar presence in San Diego since the construction of the old Point Loma Lighthouse in 1855, the U.S. Coast Guard has increased its presence over the years, becoming the largest Coast Guard city presence in the nation in 2017. The Coast Guard Air Station adjacent to San Diego Airport wa…

The Orange Avenue Banner Program, initiated by the City in 2016 and funded through a Discover Coronado Community Enhancement Grant, displays banners on the Orange Avenue corridor from First Street to Avenida de las Arenas. The banner program includes two series open to local nonprofit organi…

The Fifth Annual San Diego-Azerbaijan Youth Chess Tournament for youth ages eight - 18, including a talk by an international chess grandmaster, will go from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 20 in the Winn Room at Coronado Public Library. Check-in for players begins at 9:30 a.m. The tour…

The Vice Admiral Edward H. Martin Award is presented at the Salute to the Military Ball each year to a current Coronado resident and veteran who is the embodiment of service to their community and country. 

This year, the honor went to Navy veteran and Coronado VFW Post Commander, Chuck Lucas. 

Lucas made his way to bootcamp in Great Lakes in October of 1971, eventually transferring to Virginia where he resided for five years. His decision to reenlist is what would eventually bring him to the West Coast. “I had heard a lot about San Diego, so when I reenlisted, I thought maybe I would transfer out that way,” Lucas explained, which is just what he did. Transferring here in 1978, he immediately fell in love with the San Diego area and has lived here ever since.

The May 2 Coronado City Council meeting began with three ceremonial presentations given by Mayor pro tem, Casey Tanaka, starting with water safety. Aquatics Supervisor, Rebecca Jackman, was in attendance to accept the proclamation for May 2023 as Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Month.

The Aquatic Center will be running Water Safety Wednesday during swim lessons throughout the month and coordinating with the Fire Department to offer CPR demonstrations and practices for parents during swim lesson as well.

Members of Coronado’s Mobility Commission, Dr. Howard Somers and Robin Hagemann, were then presented with a proclamation celebrating May as Bike to Work Month. May 19 is National Bike to Work Day while May 18 is the SANDAG Bike Anywhere Day. In accepting the proclamation,

The projector barely worked, presentations were glitchy and the speakers sounded muffled. The weak lighting was the icing on the cake for crews struggling to stage productions at the 570-seat main stage theater at the high school.

With an audio-visual system well past its useful life and only part of the funding identified for a complete upgrade at the largest and most widely used theatrical venue in the city, a solution was desperately needed – and a fledgling foundation stepped up.

The Coronado Community Foundation, established in 2021, forged a collaboration with Performing Arts Center partners and empowered them to work together. As part of its mission, the Foundation seeks to build philanthropy within Coronado, encourage residents to get involved, and work with local nonprofits to better meet the needs of the community. It is currently working to establish its path forward.

A Free, Family Friendly Event You Won’t Want to Miss

Hay Fever runs May 19 - June 4

Fifteen “hometown heroes” will be recognized and honored as part of the program’s 16th Group. 

The City of Coronado and the Avenue of Heroes Committee invite the community to attend a dedication ceremony to honor the latest group of hometown military veterans or active-duty service members on Saturday, May 20, at Coronado High School at 10:30 a.m. 

PAWS of Coronado is looking for its next Cat City Manager to act as an animal ambassador, advocating for animal welfare, under the direction of the Coronado Canine Council. Canine Mayor Higgins knows it’s not just about the dog so he is looking for our new City Cat Manager to fill the open two-year position (2023-2025)!  

There is no denying that cats are naturally born for this purrfect prestigious position. Nominations are open NOW through May

On May 13, our streets will come alive again as we welcome back the second annual Coronado Art & Wine Festival. Though this event is still relatively new, it has the thoughtful planning and community support to become a longstanding Coronado tradition.

The Coronado Art & Wine Festival is a one-day, street-style festival that celebrates community art as well as K-12 art, and local businesses. The Coronado Schools Foundation, in partnership with the Coronado Chamber of Commerce, has created this event to highlight local and student artists and also give back to the community.

Years ago, Coronado Schools Foundation (CSF) CEO and President, Michelle Gilmore, had an idea. "I really wanted to focus and celebrate the arts that are funded through CSF on the four campuses across CUSD, and I was trying to figure out a way to do that,” said Gilmore.

Memorial Day services will take place Monday, May 29, at Star Park. The event begins at 10 a.m. There will be a Presentation of Colors, keynote speakers, Taps, and singing of the National Anthem.

Representatives and veterans from all branches of the military will be present. Coronado Veterans of Foreign Wars (Post 2422) hosts Memorial Day services here annually.

This event grows larger each year and everyone is encouraged to come down in support of our veterans and troops. This year’s guest speaker will be Rear Admiral Keith

PAWS of Coronado is facing an increase of animals within their facility, reaching upwards of 290% capacity. Responsible for managing Coronado Animal Care Facility, PAWS is a shelter that provides care and adoption services for local orphaned cats and dogs.

The inundation of animals has been fairly recent, with the source of increase being unknown. I had a chance to speak with Adoption and Foster Coordinator Amy Dooling, who said, “We don’t know for certain where the animals are coming from,” adding that five puppies had been dumped, just fifteen minutes before I arrived at the shelter. “If we did [know], we could hopefully slow down the pace a little bit.”

Each year at the Annual Salute to the Military Ball, multiple awards are presented to community members that have shown their commitment to serving Coronado. 

One such award, the VADM James and Sybil Stockdale Community Award, was presented to husband and wife Emily and Angel Delgado. 

This specific award is presented each year to a military couple who exemplify selfless service and dedication to their community; and after speaking with them, it is clear that Emily and Angel were the perfect choice. Both members of this husband and wife team exude humility and warmth, as well as a deep-rooted need to give back to those around them.

by Lauren Curtis

The Coronado City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 18, began with four ceremonial presentations highlighting a variety of community resources. Councilmember Casey Tanaka led the meeting as mayor pro tem as Mayor Richard Bailey joined the meeting virtually.

The first proclamation recognized April 23-29, 2023, as National Library Week, and was presented to the Chair of the Library Board of Trustees, Julie Webb. Tanaka acknowledged the work the Coronado Public Library does for the City, providing resources and programming to meet evolving community needs.

“The community that supports [the Library] is what makes the Library possible to reach the heights and the audience

Over the past couple of years, transportation has been a topic for the City of Coronado in regards to a variety of factors, including the City’s Climate Action Plan and Active Transportation Plan. While the pandemic and other factors have had an effect on some of Coronado’s public transportation options, such as an increase in ferry ticket prices for non-commuters, and an end to Coronado’s Seniors Out and About transportation program, other programs and possibilities are being considered to fulfill transportation needs for residents and visitors alike.

In 2018 the City adopted a Comprehensive Active Transportation Plan and Complete Streets Strategy (ATP) which provided an update to and expanded upon the City’s existing Bicycle Master Plan to encourage active modes of transportation around Coronado (walking, biking, etc.). The ATP included recommendations for ways to improve

Coronado Unified School District annually recognizes outstanding classified employees representing each of the four school sites, maintenance and operations, and the district office. Classified employees include all staff who are not credentialed teachers or administrators. The six 2023 awardees were nominated and selected by their colleagues and will be recognized publicly at the April 20 school board meeting.

“Our dedicated classified colleagues provide critical resources and ensure that our district is operating with efficiency and keep our students healthy, our facilities safe

The Coronado Historical Association announces that General Admission tickets for the 2023 Mother’s Day Historic Home Tour will go on sale Friday, April 15.

CHA invites you to support the community you love, its history, and the Coronado Historical Association with someone special this Mother’s Day. Participants will walk through the doors to exclusive private homes open to ticket holders only

Coronado’s 37th annual Salute to the Military Ball kicks off on Saturday, April 15 where the City’s military and civilian communities will come together to celebrate and honor the local service members who dedicate much of their lives to country and the community.

The Ball began as an idea in the 1980s when Ret. Capt. Ron Kennedy, Captain Ron Brandquist, Ret. Marine Corps Brigadier General Edward Meyer, and Dennis McCormack had gotten together to create something for Coronado’s military community.

The April 4 Coronado City Council meeting began with a representative from the office of California Senate President Pro Tempore, Toni Atkins, speaking during a period of oral communications. Cole Reed introduced himself as the new liaison between Atkins’ office and the City of Coronado, who will be able to assist the City with any state-related matters.

City Manager Tina Friend then officially welcomed Jayson Summers as the city’s new Fire Chief. Summers steps into the role following the retirement of former Chief Mike Blood’s retirement as the interim Fire Chief.

The meeting then moved to a public hearing for the adoption of a revised schedule for a regional

A special workshop on water pollution was held by the city of Imperial Beach to receive updates and inform the public at the Dempsey Holder Safety Center on March 29. Water pollution caused by sewage coming from Mexico has caused beach closures in Imperial Beach, Silver Strand, and Coronado.

Representatives from from the International Water Boundary Commission (IBWC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and San Diego Department of Environmental Health Water Quality Program gave an insight on the latest projects, testing, and research.