Update 3/5/08: This post now has 2,003 comments! However, it has exceeded the capacities of our server and has been truncated recently at about 1,529 posts. But one of our readers has stepped up to the plate and painstakingly copied all of the comments into three NEW posts:
- SAUSD-Mijares corruption thread, 2008 Comments
- SAUSD-Mijares corruption thread, 2007 Comments
- SAUSD-Mijares corruption thread, 2006 Comments
We have also started a NEW open SAUSD thread, which I hope our readers will post to regarding new SAUSD news and views.
You can also go to our home page and go to the right column. Click on “SAUSD Posts” and you can get links to ALL of our past SAUSD articles.
I must say, I am amazed at the stories that have been posted on this blog in the wake of Al Mijares’ exit from the Santa Ana Unified School District. I am posting this item merely to give SAUSD bloggers a place to post their comments. Post away my friends – we have an opportunity now to finally do away with the corruption left over from the Mijares regime. Change is at hand, but we must remain resolute.
I noted that someone affiliated with the SAUSD administration recently posted a threat on this site – alleging possible legal action against SAUSD employees who post anonymously on this site. That is despicable and a form of terrorism. Do not let fear restrain any of you from revealing the truth.
The final challenge we face in Santa Ana is to replace Mijares with someone competent. We won’t have another opportunity like this anytime soon. This process must be open and focused and whatever else happens we must keep Audrey Noji out of the Superintendent’s position. As a member of the Cerritos College faculty and a member of the teacher’s union at that campus I opposed her when she tried to get a job at our campus. If she goes after the SAUSD superintendent post I will do so again. I know we can do better!
All of my children are in the SAUSD system. For their sake and that of all schoolchildren in the district, I urge those who are rebelling against the last vestiges of Mijares’ broken empire to keep the information flowing and to do whatever it takes to ensure that our next superintendent will be up to the task. Mijares certainly was over his head throughout his doomed tenure.
Removing Esther Jones is a positive step in the right direction only if a competent principal is selected to replace her.
I hope Juan Lopez doesn’t choose another reject from other districts like he did with Freddy Gomeztrejo. Jane, you need to be involved with this one.
Removed but not gone.
On paid administrative leave. Costing the district more and more money.
Well at least the school site gets a break.
Rumor is that Bratcher is in the district’s cross hairs.
Under the best circumstances, change is slow. This time last year, there was no hope for getting rid of the deadwood in the District. What a difference twelve month has made. Although there is still along way to go to making this District as good as it should be, we are on our way. Way to go Russo.
#1280
Yeah, way to go Russo! Under your direction the district is still reeling from adminstrators asking teachers to falsify attendance records for the sole purpose of squeezing more money from the state. It’s been months and you have failed to hold accountable the administrators who carried out this scheme. Yep, way to go Russo!
What scandals can we look forward to in the upcoming school year?
Why is school police ticketing and impounding cars on the Southbound lanes of Bristol and Memory lane?
I was coming in to work at 9:00 this morning driving south on Bristol, flashing reds and blues caught my attention. I slowed down to get a glipse and see if I recognized the Officer. The first thing I noticed was no shotgun mounted on the back of the motorcycle. At first, I thought is was probably a motorcycle officer from United States Of Orange.
I drove down to Santa Clara and made a safe turn back North. I pulled into the Shell gas station took my trusty camcorder out and got a closer look. I did not see any identifying logos. All I saw was blue lettering on the gas tank which said “Police”. I zoomed in on the officer and its uniform, guess what it said, Santa Ana School Police.
I then focused on the officer, short and fat, the motorcylce was bigger than he is. I continued to watch and several minutes later, a green tow-truck showed up.
Correctly me if I’m wrong, I don’t think there are any schools at Bristol and Memory Lane. Another case of school police pretending to be SAPD.
Don’t this guys have schools to check up on, or are they doing traffic control with no restriction all over Santa Ana. Even funnier, there were some of our finest by the Starbuck looking south towards him shaking their heads.
Where can I upload this to?
Many months ago, after Jane was selected as the new Superintendent, I posted names of individuals that she needed to let go: Juan Lopez, Don Trigg, Lewis Bratcher, Pat Machado, Helen Stainer. I believe that Stainer has retired. The rest are all present and are major contributors to continuing problems in the district.
Juan Lopez is responsible for hiring his daughter’s soccer coach for Principal at VHS, a man who has a very poor track record with other districts.
Don Trigg sees the children as dollars to balance his budget. No wonder schools begin the new school year with so many unfilled positions each year.
Lewis Bratcher is part of the old boys club that used to meet regularly with Mijares for prayer breakfast, etc. He is a relic from another time. He’s become a very nasty and antagonistic individual who cares nothing about kids. Because he’s from SAHS, he protects Pat Machado, Dan Salcedo, and Jeff Bishop.
Pat Machado is completely incompetent. She has already been removed from CHS and now sits in the district office. Everything she is involved with is a disaster. Just ask the summer school match coaches at the secondary level – 2 years in a row she’s been responsible for an extremely ineffective and disorganized math program at the intermediate schools and still she receives her paycheck.
With these individuals still on the payroll, the district will continue its downward spiral.
There are several good employees that have been ground up by the SAUSD system by getting demoted or sent to crappy sites that hinder them as professionals.
Two of them have stood up for colleagues and subordinates who were wronged by administrators. This just does’nt seem fair at all. Is there a person or department that would be responsive to testimonials of how good employees stood up to wrongdoing, only to be punished by bad evaluations, false acusations and demotion?
I’d like Russo to know who these individuals are and how they did the right things, only to be punished. I do NOT want to go through Juan Lopez. He is a huge part of what is wrong with this district.
Please post any suggestions on how to make the district aware of employees who deserve a fair shake. Thanks
#1284
These individuals are still on the payroll because Russo doesn’t have the fortitude to remove them. Cutting loose these inept, incompetent and over-paid administrators could open the flood gate of trouble. Russo has opted to stall the trouble instead of dealing with it head on. That’s what you get when the BofE hires a rooky superintendent.
Marvin Smallowitz is now the acting principal at MacArthur AND Saddleback while Esther Jones is on “personal leave” for the next 3weeks to 2 months, depending on who you listen to.
Is it really personal or will she be seen at various court dates and various investigations while “off” from her assignment?
Maybe Russo is preparing a nice soft place for her to land up at the district offices. Why is budget constraints never a concern when the district is trying to hide big time problem employees?
Good employees are just plain tired of the worst of the worst continuing to be protected and promoted.
#1283 – post it on You Tube. When that happens please let us know on this thread. Hopefully, that will wake up someone downtown.
It is easy to do at YouTube. Remember when that Iranian student was tazed repeatedly at UCLA? people immediately went to YT and posted the camera phone footage. If nothing more, the real police will want something done.
They won’t want the confusion and negative publicity of SD cops getting vehicles towed.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_6556747?nclick_check=1
Unhappy OC parents target school trustees with recall attempts
The Associated Press
Article Launched: 08/06/2007 11:18:18 AM PDT
SANTA ANA, Calif.
For MySpace fans, this guy weighs in on certificats of completion at SAUSD Board Meeting;
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=20016595&blogID=291409708
The tales of the Santa Ana Unified School District
Current mood: aggravated
Category: School, College, Greek
I am speaking tonight at the S.A.U.S.D. broad meeting. It seems that in their infinite wisdom they have decided to award a Certificate of Completion for those students who meet the district requirements, but do not meet the state of California education requirements. These certificates do not have any educational value; by their own admission these pieces of paper are not even good enough to get a job in the school district where they were issued. This policy was only to be used with the class of 2006; the Assistant Superintendent was insurrected by the broad to gather statistics showing how the kids were affected by this policy and report back to the broad in 2007. The A.S.S. (Assistant Superintendent of Schools) came back with incomplete statistics. He asked for an additional year to gather the correct numbers. The board approved the extra year. The two people who voted against the motion (Hernandez and Palacios) argued that this policy crates a second class of people. Who go through the educational institution and can not use their education in any way.
I completely agree with them, to give out a certificate of indoctrination is pointless. Besides, they already do this; their general courses do not prepare a student for the university level, they must attend a community collage and transfer in, in essence making the high school useless. They should eliminate general classes altogether and make collage preparatory courses the minimum standard. To those who say that not every student can do well in such classes; that is simply because the school district fails to prepare kids adequately at the elementary level and show them the relevance and the importance of an education. Each level in the intuition of education builds on the previous one. If most students don’t have a strong foundation, how can succeed? As a philosopher once said, “Excellence is in the details, pay attention to the details and excellence will come.” S.A.U.S.D. has not been paying attention to the details.
-People need to become aware that this is happening!. This is an outrage that 1. this is happening 2. people (including the Media) are not informed/aware. This paper of completion is a big fat joke and is basically an insult to the parents of these kids and the kids themselves. Everyone is impacted by this.. -Its like adding insult to injury.(in that on top of minimal importance given to College Prep Course AND EVEN a REAL HS LEVEL education.
This certificate in my opinion is the same as giving someone drowning a picture of a raft.
IT DOESNT DO SHIT FOR THEM!
NO empoyer woth working for will acknowledge this worthless certificate and this truly does create a new hole for students to fall into between the Drop outs and the Graduates..
.On top of Students not understanding the importance of excelling and completeing high school and this is amplified and driven by a School system that is already sustaining that students dont and wont achieve the necessary classes to even begin a college career.
-Administrators are saying that students can go somewhere else and finish a GED but if they are not driven from the infancy of their education to understand the critical importance of their future and the proportional direct effect that education shapes their future how could they go through elementary, JR High, and then HS and out of the blue realize the importance of completing this Critical 1st Step in their educations.. No one cares what elementary you go to, what JR High.. have you ever been asked that in your application or do you include that in your resume?
-It seems that this paper just gives the students something to show their parents and I equate this to a mirage in the desert. It gives people something to look at but is entirely intangible and worthless.
-I understand that there is no point in only identifying this issue as worthless and pathetic without providing some sort of solution. ..
-the only reason for going to HS is for the diploma. Ask any employer. this is a given
-an aggressive intensive certified GED program must be in place to aid the students to complete whatever is lacking in their education to complete a REAL diploma which provides the benefits therein.
-parents/Students must be informed that this certificate of completion is basically a paper that says the student was there. This has no academic value and is basically only good for placing in the recycle bin. (its only value to society.)
A stop needs to be placed on this fake worthless “Certificate of Completion” Why? REPEAT THE NAME, Certificate of Completion… If they had really completed their required courses, and all of the requirements to complete high school they wouldnt need this trash they would have a DIPLOMA. THE NAME IS FALSE! IN reality this really is a CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDANCE> what other value could be assigned to this. And what would a certificate of attendance do for our future workers? The same as giving a picture of a raft to a drowning person. IT WONT DO SHIT.
Pardon the 4 letter words but this is something to be upset about.. Consider where you are and where the future of our school system, community and society is headed..
In sales the moto is always “make something happen..” nothing will change if nothing is done..
*all matter stays in its current state (the way it is) unless acted upon by an outside force..
If you have your diploma, your college degree, your career, what kind of employees do you want to hire? What kind of friends do you want your kids to have? As you put a down payment on a house, what neighborhood do you want to invest in.. think about it. This problem matters on every level..
http://www.sausd.k12.ca.us/departments/pio/release.asp?id=163
Santa Ana Unified Appoints Assistant Principals
Santa Ana, CA – August 6, 2007
The Board of Education of the Santa Ana Unified School District approved 11 new assistant principalships at the high school, intermediate and elementary levels for the new 2007/08 school year. Appointments begin to take effect today. High school and intermediate level appointments include:
David Scott Michael, Godinez High School
Gamila Mherian, Segerstrom High School
Michael Parra, Valley High School
Melissa Hall-Bohinc, Carr Intermediate School
Claudia Flint, McFadden Intermediate
Pete Herman, Spurgeon Intermediate
Marianne Bola, Willard Intermediate
Elementary level assistant principal appointments include the following:
Giselle Rivera, Esqueda Elementary
Laura Martin, Hoover Elementary
Kimberly Kempa, Madison Elementary
Juan Ramirez, Roosevelt Elementary
The Board of Education meets every second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. in the District’s Boardroom at 1601 E. Chestnut Ave. in Santa Ana. Board Members include Rob Richardson, president; Rosemarie Avila, vice president; Audrey Yamagata-Noji, Ph.D., clerk; Jose Alfredo Hernandez, member; John Palacio, member; and SAUSD Superintendent Jane Russo.
Where’s the press release on Tony Espinoza’s assignment to Segerstrom HS as a counselor?
Noji is loyal to the bitter en, however plopping Espinoza in a candy box of young teen girls is reprehensible.
am speaking tonight at the S.A.U.S.D. broad meeting. It seems that in their infinite wisdom they have decided to award a Certificate of Completion for those students who meet the district requirements, but do not meet the state of California education requirements. These certificates do not have any educational value; by their own admission these pieces of paper are not even good enough to get a job in the school district where they were issued. This policy was only to be used with the class of 2006; the Assistant Superintendent was insurrected by the broad to gather statistics showing how the kids were affected by this policy and report back to the broad in 2007. The A.S.S. (Assistant Superintendent of Schools) came back with incomplete statistics. He asked for an additional year to gather the correct numbers. The board approved the extra year. The two people who voted against the motion (Hernandez and Palacios) argued that this policy crates a second class of people. Who go through the educational institution and can not use their education in any way.
I completely agree with them, to give out a certificate of indoctrination is pointless. Besides, they already do this; their general courses do not prepare a student for the university level, they must attend a community collage and transfer in, in essence making the high school useless. They should eliminate general classes altogether and make collage preparatory courses the minimum standard. To those who say that not every student can do well in such classes; that is simply because the school district fails to prepare kids adequately at the elementary level and show them the relevance and the importance of an education. Each level in the intuition of education builds on the previous one. If most students don’t have a strong foundation, how can succeed? As a philosopher once said, “Excellence is in the details, pay attention to the details and excellence will come.” S.A.U.S.D. has not been paying attention to the details.
-People need to become aware that this is happening!. This is an outrage that 1. this is happening 2. people (including the Media) are not informed/aware. This paper of completion is a big fat joke and is basically an insult to the parents of these kids and the kids themselves. Everyone is impacted by this.. -Its like adding insult to injury.(in that on top of minimal importance given to College Prep Course AND EVEN a REAL HS LEVEL education.
This certificate in my opinion is the same as giving someone drowning a picture of a raft.
IT DOESNT DO SHIT FOR THEM!
NO empoyer woth working for will acknowledge this worthless certificate and this truly does create a new hole for students to fall into between the Drop outs and the Graduates..
.On top of Students not understanding the importance of excelling and completeing high school and this is amplified and driven by a School system that is already sustaining that students dont and wont achieve the necessary classes to even begin a college career.
-Administrators are saying that students can go somewhere else and finish a GED but if they are not driven from the infancy of their education to understand the critical importance of their future and the proportional direct effect that education shapes their future how could they go through elementary, JR High, and then HS and out of the blue realize the importance of completing this Critical 1st Step in their educations.. No one cares what elementary you go to, what JR High.. have you ever been asked that in your application or do you include that in your resume?
-It seems that this paper just gives the students something to show their parents and I equate this to a mirage in the desert. It gives people something to look at but is entirely intangible and worthless.
-I understand that there is no point in only identifying this issue as worthless and pathetic without providing some sort of solution. ..
-the only reason for going to HS is for the diploma. Ask any employer. this is a given
-an aggressive intensive certified GED program must be in place to aid the students to complete whatever is lacking in their education to complete a REAL diploma which provides the benefits therein.
-parents/Students must be informed that this certificate of completion is basically a paper that says the student was there. This has no academic value and is basically only good for placing in the recycle bin. (its only value to society.)
A stop needs to be placed on this fake worthless “Certificate of Completion” Why? REPEAT THE NAME, Certificate of Completion… If they had really completed their required courses, and all of the requirements to complete high school they wouldnt need this trash they would have a DIPLOMA. THE NAME IS FALSE! IN reality this really is a CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDANCE> what other value could be assigned to this. And what would a certificate of attendance do for our future workers? The same as giving a picture of a raft to a drowning person. IT WONT DO SHIT.
Pardon the 4 letter words but this is something to be upset about.. Consider where you are and where the future of our school system, community and society is headed..
In sales the moto is always “make something happen..” nothing will change if nothing is done..
*all matter stays in its current state (the way it is) unless acted upon by an outside force..
If you have your diploma, your college degree, your career, what kind of employees do you want to hire? What kind of friends do you want your kids to have? As you put a down payment on a house, what neighborhood do you want to invest in.. think about it. This problem matters on every level..
#1292 Isn’t there someone working at Segerstrom who has some kind of litigation against Espinoza for sexual harrassment? Seems strange that the district would put Tony at the same site?
Does anyone know why he’s going there? I thought he was pink slipped.
TRICKLE Is the name that
Esther Jones gave to a male employee who used a cane.
She said it to him, about him and with plenty of witnesses.
What the hell is a thug like this doing in a principal position? Helloooooooooo?????!!??
Posters #1294 & #1295
You seek logical responses to your queries, but the school district is not capable of providing one.
Assigning Espinoza to Segerstrom is unexplainable. This man should not be around young girls. The stories of his tongue wrestling antics, with an employee and witnessed by students, sent district administrators in a spin a few years ago. His pranks of walking into the ladies room, while a female employee was ocupying the WC, resulted in an EEOC complaint. And his special room, filled with pornography, had most of the women in the front office at Valley, very unsettled.
All the district has to do is assign the Valley custodian pervert to Segerstrom and the dirty duo will be complete. That pervert has been peeping in the girl’s restroom for years. He drills holes above the girl’s restrooms and is free to leer. He did it at Carr and Valley HS.
And Juan Lopez publicly stated that Tony Espinoza is one the finest, most ethical men he has ever met.
That’s right Juan Lopez, serve up these young girls to sexual predators.
Luis Says:
8/07/2007 2:26 PM
Anon #5,
The summer school principal at Saddleback was Ken Stokesberry who is the vice principal during the regular school year at Santa Ana High School, and Rosa Lizardi, who is assistant principal at Saddleback during the regular school year.
It has been tradition to give the AP the opportunity to act as principals during summer while the actual principals work on the master schedule and the hiring of new teachers while attending district meetings.
Russo loves Juan Lopez. Juan’s judgement has gotten this district into serious legal and ethical situations.
He covers for the pervs, freaks and pedophiles. His choices are going to blow up on Jane Russo, big time. It will be her skin when the next weirdo gets out of hand. It is only a matter of time.
Meltdown Alvarez Sucks Says:
8/07/2007 1:57 PM
Audrey was doing Clownia Alvarez’ dirty work. Audrey went to Nadia and offered to run together as a slate with the Mayor’s blessing. The plan all along was for Audrey to throw Nadia under the bus when Clownia gave the order. Clownia had one thing in mind, to destroy all her potential competition for State Assembly in 2004. The bus throwing came and poor Nadia was left all alone. The Mayor even pulled the rug out from under her and Oscar Garza in a move to appease Clownia.
Poor Nadia lost, Audrey won and screwed up SAUSD worse than anyone could imagine, Clownia went on to lose two Assembly primaries anyways. In fact on the night of the Nativo recall, Clownia was heard trying to talk the mothers who started it into recalling Sal Tinajero next, since it was known he had aspirations for Assembly(bet you didn’t know this Sal about your little buddy).
When confronted about her blatant opportunism and backstabbing, Clownia accused the person of being a Nativo hack and was seen shrieking at the top of her lungs at this woman in the middle of Floral Park. I heard a neighbor thought it was a domestic disturbance until they went out and realized it was just an other Alvarez Meltdown.
In the end we all know karma came back to get Clownia. After she narrowly lost to Umberg, she was heard in a meltdown claiming she had managed to get everyone out of her way to run until some “gringo from Villa Park” had to ruin it for her. AWWWW poor Clownia.
VERY INTERESTING!!!!!
I have followed the school board meetings for sometime, How interesting it is!!!!
I watching the current board meeting, How interesting it is to watch Donald “LIER” Trigg, to present his agenda to the board and ask for bid and contract approval from the board.
When asked, who the contractors are to be approved, his response is and has been “we can provide this to you if you wish” the asking party asks, shouldn’t we have their names in front of us so we can see who we are approving. Donald “LIER” Trigg looks to his assistant for help.
Bottom line!
Why is the School Board approving contracts without the knowledge of who the contractors are? By the way, “LIER’S” “Ass”istant says, Oh! the names were left out accidental.
How can anyone leave the most critical part of a bid/contract going up for approval, the beneficiary, out of the agenda!
The most disturbing part is that the board seems O.K with this, they move on and approve it. Talk about shady business.
I can recall several occasions where Donald “LIER” Trigg used the same excused, UUHHH! I forgot to include the names, Yeah Right!
If the school board believes this lies, I have some beach front property in down-town-Baghdad I would like to sell to them all.
Another reason why the entire district staff needs to go.
My take, Donald “LIER” Trigg says, This Mexicants wont know the difference, I can continue to lie to the Residents of Santa Ana “cause” they wont question it!
Guess what, I ain’t no mexicant, but you are an incompetent, poorly qualified to lead SAUSD.
Second Verse,
Bratcher and Pat “don’t know what I ‘m doing” Machado presentation was even more comical. They don’t have a clue on what they want teachers to do this coming fall!
What’s wrong with this picture!!!!!
How can our students improve and exceed, when district administrators don’t know if there coming or going!
Freakin’ amazing!
“Sharks eat tuna and are always looking for someone to eat. Dolphins
play,
make friends, enjoy life, and KILL SHARKS. Tuna are always waiting to
be eaten.
Many of us act like tuna, just waiting to be
someone’s dinner.
dophins are playful, fun loving, friendly, smart in healthy ways, and
have no problems killing sharks.
sharks are always looking for some tuna to eat because they’re easy
targets.”
We have been TUNAS. Time to work on our dolphin side. It’s time to eliminate our predators.
Juan Lopez is the main shark attractant. Jane is his weak enabler. Just when we think a predator is on the way out, Juan finds a “place” to put it.
I’m sure Lyn Maher is thrilled by this stab in the back. Fight on this year!
#1
Wake up and smell the tuna.
Maher is one of the biggest, closed door deal makers. She’s the one, who at Noji’s request, rallied the MacArthur parents to storm the school board and demand Segerstrom be designated a fundamental school. Segserstrom was originally designated a neighborhood school and Godinez the fundamental school.
District administrators dumped Espinoza at Segerstrom because Maher owes Noji a favor. Besides there is no one better to castrate Espinoza than Maher. She’s one cold and calculating b*tch.
If the school district can eliminate Esther Jones, and they have, why is it so difficult to get rid of Tony Espinoza?
Don’t feel sorry for Maher. She’s in as deep as her pal Noji and Russo. This is merely the price she pays to keep “her school” free of students she deems unsatisfactory for Segerstrom.
SAUSD grapevine reports a teacher just fled Segerstrom for Godinez because of Lynn Maher.
Mijares and others were informed of the dysfunctional nature of the Saddleback administration during the first year they were in place. Nothing was done because the pattern of coverup in the district is so pervasive and has been in place for so long that nearly everyone at the district office and the BOE would be implicated.
This blog is like a huge zit on the nose of SAUSD. And there’s no getting rid of it. Look back a year ago and you’ll see many of the same problems still occuring today.
Audrey Noji went into hiding behind Rob Richardson when he was given the presidency this year so she would not have to take the heat of all her bad choices coming home to roost.
Has anyone thought about accessing Noji’s phone records to see how often she calls up Jane Russo to micromanage the Superintendent’s decisions? Anyone doubt that Noji’s hand keeps getting involved with some of the more stupid decisions and non-action at the Super level?
There was a reason for Noji to have been kicked off the board in the past. She got lucky when she got back in on the sweep of Nativo Lopez out the door. It’s a shame she was allowed back in. Her brand of management is a disgrace.
We know what you’ve been up to. We don’t like it. It has to stop.
#1300
Do you know the name of Trigg’s Assistant at that meeting?
That is so obscene to try and push through contracts without telling who the contractors are. Overlooking a detail like that is completely unprofessional. Why in the world would the BoE or Superintendent ever tolerate that beyond the very first time?
It’s like allowing a bunch of little kids run around with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of budget and they don’t have a clue what they are doing or where the money is actually going.
Thanks for attending the meeting. When are those meeting going to start being televised? Holding them accountable is way overdue.
If it’s not a fundamental school, all concerns and complaints fall on deaf ears with the board. For non-fundamental schools, the board and the district only respond to lawsuits, litigation, etc. Examples from this year are Valley, Saddleback, and Willard. They’ve been forced to act on Valley and Saddlevack because of lawsuits, possibly falsified graduation records, etc. Wonder what else has to happen at Willard before they remove Bishop. Having a mass exodus of teachers and the lowest test corners in the county has not been a cause for action, has it?
And look at downtown – Juan Lopez, Don Trigg, Lewis Bratcher and Pat Machado are still on the payroll!
And look at downtown – Juan Lopez, Don Trigg, Lewis Bratcher and Pat Machado are still on the payroll!
They will all hold on for dear life. They’re not used to doing anything close to competent work. Who do you think would hire any of them?
Machado even has a relative who was made to snitch for Jones at Saddleback. I guess that is her contribution to “education” at the district.
Head of the English (Haag)department was demoted out of revenge by Saddleback’s Jones. Maybe she could get her job back. She was very organized and was there for the kids. She stood up to the wrongdoings at Saddleback and that’s why she lost her chairmanship. That should be fixed by Lopez.
Here’s a Jaguar Jewel to chew on.
There are two former Valley employees who will not be pleased with the district’s decision to place Tony Espinoza at Segerstrom this fall. Tony made life miserable for these two employees just for the sport of it.
Mijares, Lopez, Noji et al sided w/ Tony allowing him to victimize these employees with no reprecussions.
Russo & Noji know the circumstances, yet they approved the placement of Espinoza at Segerstrom. It’s unfortunate that these two women’s professional lives must be unsettled due to Supt Russo and school member Noji’s lack of compassion and understanding.
Not to defend the district, but Espinoza was placed on a district transfer list where he had HIS choice of positions. He chose Segerstrom.
I don’t think it can be completely assumed that Jones is gone. Noji and Juan Lopez have been protecting and covering for her for years and years.
Maybe they’ll find a do-nothing post in DO where she can continue to pull down that big salary. Remember there is only budget concerns when TEACHERS are concerned.
For do-nothings at DO, they get a complete pass. Budget cuts don’t touch the inner circle.
Poster #1311
Jones is history. Dr. Olansky summoned Jones to DO and gave her two options: 1) retire or 2.) be fired. Jones opted to retire. Jones didn’t have a chance. DO and SAEA done her in. Saddleback teachers have been tirelessly working to get rid of Jones the past few years. A deal was cut between the teacher’s union and DO.
Look to Russo to give Robert Nelson the nod as acting principal until one is permanently assigned.
It has just been announced the Dr.Bratcher is retiring, or like Jones he probably was given a choice.
Lopez, Bishop, Salcedo need to go as well. The person’s Lawyer with the sexual harassment lawsuit against Espinosa is probably foaming at the mouth right now thinking how much money they are going to make against the District. Lynn Mahr is not very happy to say the least about Espinosa coming to her school, wait until the fire works begin.
What did I say, this time last year?
Trust in Ms. Jane Russo and the School Board; good things to come! The
Navarro –
Your hubris posting confirms the whispers about the union’s back room deals. The unions and DO agreed on the removal of Jones with the provisio Bishop remain at Willard.
Russo had to deliver someone’s head after her first six months of a scandal ridden performance.
Her bravado of forcing Jones out just before the AYP and API posting will not derail what we soon will learn about the district’s NCLB status.
With Bratcher retiring, there is now one less person to cover for Bishop. When the test scores come out, watch for Willard’s to drop even lower (although when your scores are already the lowest in the county, it may not even be noticed).
Bishop and Medrano need to get out of the district. The only thing that keeps Bishop in Noji’s and Russo’s good graces is his Corporated Academy program. The reality is that the program is a farce, has no teacher support and has done nothing to improve the culture of the school. But, Noji and Russo are convinced that good things are happening at Willard when Biship dishes out his bulls**t to them.
#1303
A lot of teachers opted for Segerstrom to get out of unacceptable situations in some of the other schools and under ridiculous administrations like Jones and Salcedo. However, there is a price to pay under Mahr. Breaking the contract in different ways with unrealistic and legally suspect expections.
Abuse of authority in overseeing organizational employees does not always take the form of shouting/glaring/loud accusations. Sometimes abuse is quiet and just as destructive to morale and productivity.
If you suspect that you and your colleagues are being unfairly pressured to work under ridiculous conditions, consider some of the following indicators in this article:
http://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2007/06/11/40986/bullying-in-the-workplacesetting-unrealistic-targets.html
Snip>>>>>>>>>>> [Abuse of authority] in the workplace does not need to be aggressive or overt to cause real distress to employees, and sticky legal situations for employers. Setting unrealistic targets can also be interpreted as bullying…..
The setting of unreasonable and unrealistic targets can also be construed as bullying or harassment, and employment law specialists are cautioning that unless HR professionals wake up to the problem, they could find themselves in deep water.
“It is not the intention of the perpetrator, but the deed itself and the impact this behaviour has on the recipient, which constitutes bullying or harassment”
…………….”We hear of the problem of unreasonable target-setting all the time,” she says. “I spoke to someone only today who is alleging that the goalposts have been moved, targets not clearly defined, and training not provided to help him meet his goals.”
Pratt reports that this subtle form of bullying is particularly severe in the public sector. “Funding and resourcing tends to be low and stress levels tend to be high – and because of the lack of money, training doesn’t take priority in the sector,” she says.
…………Pratt adds that HR could benefit from carefully monitoring absence, stress levels and turnover of employees. “If these three areas are meticulously analysed, they can flag up whether targets are perceived to be unfair,” she says.
…………….believes exit interviews can be particularly useful in detecting the problem. “In looking at why someone is leaving, HR professionals need to ensure that the person feels able to be completely honest – perhaps even allowing employees to talk ‘off the record’,” she says.
She points to other potential solutions. “I think employee satisfaction surveys – again anonymous – can be helpful, as can having a confidential person available to whom employees can talk if they think goal-
#1316
It says a lot about Willard’s Corporate Academy that there was a high percentage of those students who couldn’t attend the last field trip because of poor grades. There they don’t worry about grade point averages only about the numbers of F’s they have. More than 2 blocks them.
You can walk 8th grade promotion at Willard with 4 F’s.
That’s not promoting, that’s passing the problem to the next level.
What Bishop has done to Willard is unconscienable. Sixth graders look forward to being in self contained classrooms (gee, that would lower that pesky bill of teacher’s salaries) and the 7 th and 8 th graders will have a single semester of Science and Social Studies. Don’t worry about those comprehensive tests come the 8th grade in both those subjects! Jeff Bishop doesn’t!
#1318
Leapin’ Lizards …. the corporate academy students maybe the best dressed failing students in the county. And with manners to boot!
Bishop & Medrano are good at sholveing the sh*t!
#1314
The Wall of China, erected to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire, was put in place by a rule of successsive dynasties.
Thanks for the head’s up on Russo’s plans to create her own dynasty.
#1314
Luis,
A year ago you were actually blindly supporting Jeff Bishop at Willard and were quite shocked at some of the problems you were reading about on this blog.
What are your impressions now?
Thanks for your input.
#1322 – Luis is one of Bishop’s snitches. He’s a huge suck up to Bishop, Bernadette Medrano, Noji, and Russo. Don’t trust him for a second behind your back.
Does that answer your question?
The announcement that Marvin Smulowitz has been tagged as Saddleback’s acting principal has many concerned about MacArthur.
Russo’s decision to assign Tony Espinoza to Segerstrom is gathering a storm of discontent. Many believe Espinoza’s antics supercede those alleged of Jones and wonder why she got the boot and Espinoza was rewarded with the plum position at Segerstrom.
Unless, as Luis Navarro claims, Tony Espinoza is part of the Russo dynasty.
Machado is supposed to “retire” at the end of the year. Which year? December, or does she get to freeload until June, ’08?
Who is Bernedette Medrano? Her name comes up whenever someone posts on Willard or Bishop.
ms. madrano’s office is down in the area of Willard where the new gym equipment is. Now as to those new weight and spin rooms; go ahead and ask where the money came from? Could it be from the multi million dollar science grant? Oh, wait? Is there a science department any longer at Willard? Gee, isn’t that a coincidence!
#1327 – Are you talking about QZAB? It’s going to do alot for the 2 remaining science teachers at Willard. That’s right – a science dept comprised of only 2 teachers. And the multi-million grant that was to go for Science is providing the science classrooms with some new ceiling lights, some new tables and chairs and some new countertops. 7 classrooms and 2 teachers – incredible!
And one of the big proponents/supporter of the new fitness center is on his way out the door – Lewis Bratcher. Wonder if Bishop will soon follow?
Bernadette, much like Bishop, has insulated herself. Was involved with Noji’s last campaign – something to do with being her campaign manager. And then there’s Bishop – looking to shine for the top brass with his Corporate Academy program and the Fitness Center for PE (whoops, I mean Science!).