Southeast Academy has not received bond measure funding in decades despite deteriorating facilities, school board acknowledges

NLMUSD acknowledged the lack of bond measure funding going to Southeast Academy High School during their school during their school board meeting on Monday, March 10, 2025.

NORWALK — Southeast Academy High School has not received funding from the Measure G bond, or the Norwalk La-Mirada Unified School District, to help improve campus facilities, according to information revealed during the board of education meeting on Monday.

The lack of investment has been highlighted by academy cadets, parents and staff. They have expressed to the board multiple times through public comments that the campus is struggling with deteriorating facilities, including a damaged athletic field, outdated locker rooms and ongoing roofing issues.

During the meeting, board members and district staff confirmed that no money from Measure G has been allocated to Southeast Academy since the bond’s passage in 2014.

Board Member Rob Cancio called the oversight "gross neglect," pointing out that while other schools received significant upgrades, Southeast was left out.

“We have a high school operating on an elementary school site with inadequate infrastructure,” said Cancio. “This board has repeatedly asked for a plan, and yet, Southeast Academy has seen no improvements.”

District officials noted that while previous bond measures, such as Measure S (2004-2016), funded minor upgrades—including air conditioning, carpets, and ceiling repairs—Measure G has not provided any financial support.

However, Cancio referenced that when he graduated from Southeast Academy in 2005, there had been no noticeable improvements to the campus. He also noted that the Academy came into NLMUSD in 2009, and said “Any of those monies, from Measure S, were not used for Southeast.”

School officials described worsening conditions on campus, particularly on the athletic field, where cadets have told the Board of Education that gopher holes have forced themI mean to exercise on the blacktop to avoid injury.

The issues of improving the Academy campus have been ongoing, as was acknowledged by school board member Norma Amezcua.

“One of the reasons I remember we had stopped talking about it was because we were hoping that (Southeast Academy) was going to be moved to John Glenn,” said Amezcua. “If it's not going to happen, then let's fix it. They need a good field and good classrooms. I know the last time I went to Southeast Academy there was leaking of the roof, that was about three years ago and if it's still there then it's not happening.”

Sergeant Marty Schaefer, the director of Southeast Academy, reported that roofing in the locker room was rotting and crumbling, with some classroom ceiling tiles collapsing due to water damage.

“(The locker room) is either leaking or something's happening with the roof,” said Schaefer. “The partial roof on the outside of the building just comes apart, and the wood is definitely rotten, you just hold the wood in your hand and it just crumbles.”

The director said because of the state of the field, cadets have been running miles on the blacktop, which is difficult on their knees.

The school board acknowledged that the district’s outdated Facilities Master Plan—last updated in 2014—has contributed to the lack of investment in Southeast Academy. The board discussed the possibility of using some of the remaining Measure G funds to address the school’s urgent infrastructure needs.

“I really want to give our district leadership an opportunity to show the board what we can do, but I do want to stress we don't have time,” said Cancio. “We don't have time to wait to have this discussion, it needs to happen sooner rather than later. It's been stalled for a very long time.”

The board must decide whether to reallocate remaining bond measure funds to Southeast Academy, or explore new bond measures.

Superintendent Natasha Baker said the district will review declining enrollment data and facilities needs across all schools before making a final decision.

The school board is expected to revisit the issue at a later board meeting. Each board member also expressed they would visit the campus at a later date to see the state of Southeast Academy firsthand.