Coronado Middle School students returned to class in August without their phones, and the trustee who spent four years pushing for that ban wants another term on the school board.

Mal Sandie, a retired Navy captain and helicopter pilot with four sons who attended CUSD schools, announced his re-election bid in a profile published by the Coronado Times. He pointed to the bell-to-bell phone ban and the district's transition to Basic Aid funding as his top accomplishments.

The board voted 5-0 on April 16 to approve the CMS phone ban, but Sandie said the idea took years to gain traction. He first raised it around 2022 and initially found little support. Parent feedback eventually shifted the conversation.

"The parents were like, 'get this stuff out of our schools,'" Sandie told the Coronado Times. "They felt exactly like I did. So I felt kind of vindicated."

Basic Aid: $8–12 million in new annual funding

Sandie called the district's Basic Aid milestone "the big one." Starting in the 2027-28 school year, CUSD will be funded entirely by local property taxes rather than the state's Local Control Funding Formula, a shift projected to bring an additional $8 million to $12 million annually.

Superintendent Karl Mueller told the board at its Jan. 15 meeting that Basic Aid was "now a reality." Deputy Superintendent Donnie Salamanca described the 2026-27 budget, approved unanimously June 18, as the last year under state formula funding.

The transition carries a cash-flow wrinkle: under Basic Aid, property tax payments arrive twice a year instead of monthly. The board approved a resolution June 11 authorizing a short-term loan of up to $10 million to bridge the gap.

Sandie said he wants the new money directed at teacher pay and facilities, including solar energy and air conditioning for classrooms.

A competitive race takes shape

Sandie won his seat in November 2022 by just 32 votes over Lisa Meglioli. This time, the field is growing. Kaye Schneider, a former middle school teacher who moved to Coronado in 1992 and served as CMS PTO president, announced her candidacy Aug. 20. Peggy Duncan declared earlier this year.

Sandie also highlighted the district's adoption of a new school calendar aligned with neighboring districts, which lets Coronado High School students take finals before winter break. He is the sole board member who voted against forming a committee to review the CHS 4x4 block schedule, saying he wanted to protect the format from being dismantled.

The next regular CUSD board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 10 at 4 p.m.