Weekly roundup: Santa Ana community partners unveil first playful learning installation, OC superintendent of schools’ leadership vision, and more

In a collaboration aimed at enhancing community learning, UCI School of Education, the City of Santa Ana, Northgate Market and the Santa Ana Early Learning Initiative recently unveiled a giant abacus at the Main Street and McFadden Avenue bus stop.

This installation, alongside new educational signage in both English and Spanish inside the market, is designed to spark conversations about science and math among residents, fostering family discussions and promoting lifelong learning in everyday settings. The abacus — a tool of counting and calculating — serves as a symbol of the community’s commitment to educational enrichment.

The Santa Ana Learning Initiatives is a community partnership of parents, caregivers, leaders, community agencies and schools dedicated to improving early learning in reading, math, social-emotional development for all children in the city.

Whether families are waiting for a bus or shopping for groceries — they now have new, interactive ways to engage with math and science concepts — making learning a continuous and shared experience.

Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:

• Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence and community collaboration in education — advocating for leadership that prioritizes empathy, inclusivity and the collective input of all shareholders.

• Parenting OC recently published a Q&A with Dr. Bean, Orange County’s 12th superintendent of schools, who was appointed to complete the term of former Superintendent Dr. Al Mijares through January 2027.

• Laguna Beach Unified is prioritizing “whole child” support by expanding student well spaces and offering new preschool and transitional kindergarten options to better meet family needs.

• Newport-Mesa Unified students returned to school on Monday, amid warm weather, with hugs, photos and words of encouragement, marking the start of a new academic year.

• The Irvine and Capistrano unified school districts welcomed thousands of students back to their campuses Tuesday, kicking off a new school year filled with fresh opportunities and leaving summer fun behind.

• On Sept. 30, OCDE will host its first International Translation Day celebration at the Norma Hertzog Community Center, honoring bilingual staff, interpreters and translators in education for their work in breaking down language barriers. The event will feature expert presentations, best practices and discussions on utilizing AI in the industry.

• Dr. Michael Conroy is resigning as superintendent of the Ocean View School District to spend more time with his family, ending a two-plus year tenure marked by addressing declining enrollment and school consolidation.

• According to the OC Register, about 100 community members attended a Laguna Beach Unified School District board meeting — urging the district to keep autistic students in local campuses — while district leaders emphasized that placement decisions are made based on specialist recommendations to meet students’ specific needs.

• The Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board of Education approved a $5.2 million contract for an AI-enhanced surveillance system that could be installed in all district schools by February.

• The University of California, Irvine School of Education is partnering with Santa Ana Unified to launch a university-assisted program at James Monroe Elementary — enhancing learning, community engagement and educational outcomes through a holistic, research-driven approach.

• The Anaheim Elementary School District has promoted Dr. Yadira Moreno to assistant superintendent of educational services and Matthew Slusser to assistant superintendent of administrative services, recognizing their extensive experience and dedication to the school community.

• A bill increasing the number of Orange County Board of Education trustees and moving board elections to November passed in the Assembly after a deal was struck to delay adding new members until 2030.

• The OCDE Newsroom is showcasing back-to-school celebrations across Orange County with a frequently updated collection of social media posts from local districts and charter school partners.

• The California Interscholastic Federation is implementing new guidelines to protect student athletes from extreme heat, requiring schools to schedule outdoor practices during cooler times and cancel sessions if conditions become unsafe.

• The California Department of Education is offering 75,000 acres of its land to help create 2.3 million housing units, prioritizing affordable housing for educators. The move is part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s plan to address the housing shortage that’s contributing to a teacher shortage and to meet the state’s goal of 2.5 million new homes by 2030.

• Residents can learn about the progress of funding for Sage Hill School’s expansion — which may qualify for a $55-million tax-free loan — and share their thoughts during a public hearing at the Newport Beach City Council on Aug. 27.

• Jewish legislators plan to reintroduce a bill next year aimed at curbing antisemitic content in ethnic studies courses after their current proposal, supported by state leaders, faced strong opposition and was pulled from consideration.

This is the part where we encourage you to keep up with local education news stories by bookmarking the OCDE Newsroom, subscribing for emailed updates and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.