Well, we are in a New Year and we need to close up our 2008 SAUSD corruption thread before it becomes overwhelmed with comments. Consider this to be our new 2009 SAUSD corruption thread.
Click here to read our 2008 thread. And here are links to all our previous SAUSD corruption threads:
- SAUSD-Mijares corruption thread, 2008 Comments
- SAUSD-Temporary Thread (Migration 5/16/2008) Comments
- SAUSD-Mijares corruption thread, 2007 Comments
- SAUSD-Mijares corruption thread, 2006 Comments
The results of last year’s SAUSD School Board elections were disappointing. The incumbents were re-elected. Shame on the teacher’s union for supporting them! And the one new Trustee, Roman Reyna, is not likely to make a difference.
The SAUSD budget is a mess and our Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, appears primed to make it worse. So this is going to be a very tough year. As always, this forum will be here to allow you to vent about what is going on at the SAUSD!
Al Mijares is long gone, but the corruption at the SAUSD continues unabated…
799 – Yes, I do hope Mr. Cole knows what he is getting. I heard that he really wanted to be the principal at Villa but that went to Cheryl Weaver. I certainly hope he is up to the challenge. Heard that the Sierra staff is most unhappy with the selection of their new principal. Understand a letter writing campaign at Sierra is underway to rescind the change. Maybe Mr. Cole will only be at Willard until Cheryl Weaver retires and then he will be given Villa. Stay tuned on that one….
Bravo to Sierra for getting that letter writing campaign going! Not that it will produce any change in the decision that has Willard teacher dancing in the halls. But, it shows a stand in unity.
Sierra teachers~ Don’t let up. He may be pleasant at first but before you know it, you will be in the middle of screw you land and you won’t even remember buying a train ticket!
Our offer of anonymous reposting is beginning to bear some fruit. We’ll be reposting some informative emails this weekend, so stay tuned.
apedroza@earthlink.net
rvixen@gmail.com
There have been some back channel discussions about reposting IP addresses. OJ does not do that. First it’s a hassle. Second and most important, we just do not do that. People should feel comfortable posting here and getting a chance to vent. However there are a very few trolls that we have put on notice to stop posting as parents or other poseur positions to try and create chaos here. Parents are a very important part of schools and many parents DO read our blog. We absolutely don’t want evil people misrepresenting community members.
Some people find it worrisome to post to this blog directly, but they still want to tell about the abuse witnessed. If you want something reposted, send it to OJ. Make sure you include enough detail so that people can see patterns of abuse. Name names. Leave out details that would subject you to retaliation because it is “obvious” that it is you who doing the telling. Use caution until you sense there is a growing sense of strength to counter the evil you know about.
This is the deal about getting information out there on OJ: When it gets posted, there is immediate backlash. The folks in charge keep the chaos going b/c no one tells the truth on them, so when it happens…. the truth is told, they freak out, lash out and try and punish anyone they think might be the “outter”.
However, the good part happens next, as the post remains, other people read and comment and just become aware of what the issues are… suddenly people are openly discussing the outrageous and out of control environment and there is pressure on those above to “do something”. Saddleback and Valley got new principals and I credit part of that to Art’s blog. Every time those mismanaging principals would do something wrong… after a while it just showed up on the blog. It became a sore spot – people kept saying: why are they STILL in their positions? Why doesnt the Sup DO something? The board and leaders had to start paying closer attention and of course those principals were pretty set in how they did things, so eventually they lost their jobs for committing fraud and other mismanaged deeds. Telling the truth on them weakens them so much, that it helps crumble the badness that is happening.
By possibly reposting what you’ve written to us, you will be planting your pole, so to speak, that change has to occur. You are forcing the issue.
You teachers and other employees need to take your power back from those who abuse power and impact your lives in negative ways. Keep it up!
We teachers are professional with high ethics. I have great praise for our school site union reps. They should be running SAEA! Because with their guidance and ongoing support, we teachers have run our school site efficiently and know how to “welcome” new administrators. Cole will be “welcomed” too! Cole will know immediately who’s in charge and if we allow him to stay, he will quickly learn to stay in his office and let us do our job.
Those of us who will remain after the horrible lay offs will be the cream of the crop with the most experience and dedication and ability to run our school.
It’s a great day, we’re back in control!
University of California motto: “Fiat Lux”,
… “Let there be light”.
So with the OJB. Thanks RV , and Art. We’ll need you as dark times are acomin’.
Classified lay-off lists have been emailed to site principals I hear.
I am a register and my husband signed for mine at home. I can’t believe they are doing this again to us. Of course we have not heard form our Union about anything.
@806 I believe that. I just found out three classified from my site got a notice. Where did you hear about this emailing?
#804
that’s a pretty broad statement …”we teachers are professionals with high ethics.” No profession can stake claim to highest ethics.
There’s one Villa teacher who intentionally called the pound on his neighbor’s cat. the cat was taken in and the family had to fret and worry about the whereabouts of the cat until they learned Paul Anderson had the cat taken in. Yep, that’s real ethics. And I haven’t even started on the teachers who prey on the school children.
You need to turn down your chest beating chant that teachers are professionals with high ethics.
For anyone who did not get the May 12 SAEA elections memo:
The Local SAEA State council vote has been terminated b/c of two procedural errors.
This election must be re-run.
Any bets if the overall elections jam-down will result in an aborted election?
http://www.sateach.org/Buy-back%20day%20letter%20from%20Barton.html
May 13, 2009
We have learned that the District is sending a letter to all certificated employees (on Day of the Teacher, no less) that due to the state budget crisis they may be canceling the three Buy-Back days for the 2009-10 school years. At this point, the letter is a legal notice only, mandated when there is a potential loss of salary.
The cut of three Buy-Back days would result in a 1.5% pay cut. While this is a projected cut, based on a fear that the May 19th ballot propositions will fail and that the State will make further drastic cuts to education funding, you need to know the following:
SAEA is vehemently opposed to any reduction in salary.
SAEA believes that the language of the Contract does not allow the District to cut these days as funding was provided by the State
SAEA will take immediate legal action to stop the District from making an arbitrary and unjustified cut
SAEA has contacted the CTA legal office and has begun the process of stopping the District from following through with this plan.
No one doubts that these are daunting economic times, but the teachers of Santa Ana have given and given while a clueless District office continues to bungle every opportunity, giving themselves raises while allowing students and teachers to suffer. An economic problem is not an excuse to pick our pockets.
Rest assured that we will fight this. And we will win.
David Barton
President, SAEA
Some recent OJ threads related to SAUSD that you may want to read up:
SAUSD teacher’s union screws younger teachers out of five years of benefits
Who should be the next Santa Ana Educators’ Association President?
SAEA Santa Ana Teacher’s Union Election Jam Down
SAEA Corrupt Elections: Vote Early, Vote Often!
School Officials Want to Make It Easier to Fire Teachers
SAUSD Hero: Police Officer Brian Harris
You’re Fired! Go Directly to Class and Keep Those Scores Up!
tmare (#738) The 8 period day, without additional compensation and the informed consent of the staff, is completely opposed by SAEA leadership.
rif rif (#798) SAUSD has no intention of using the 1.5% pay cut that you will receive to save jobs.
Red Vixen (#810) The only vote being re-run is for State Council Rep – the rest of the ballot is OK.
I don’t have a clue why you insist that it’s a ‘jam-down.’ By the end of the election, teachers have had nearly 3 weeks get remind, beg and cajole their Site Reps into giving them their ballots, discuss their options, read up on the candidates, make their decisions and turn their ballots into SAEA. 3 weeks hardly seems like a ‘jam-down’.
And, my bet is on the rest of the election being valid.
Your link to Jane Russo is too cheap…..is not working!
I would love to see it as I don’t hear Jane’s name anywhere when all this fallderall is going on. I still want to know why she needs a car fund? It can’t be for all those campus’s she is visiting! (not!!!)
KTN,
I don’t completely trust your opinions. They seem so biased and defensive.
I don’t see the current bunch at SAEA being particularly adept.
Candidate Jennifer Isensee sends out a fairly official-looking email to site reps with her own list of preferred cronies to vote for. Maureen Doughterty is the actual Elections Official Chair and SHE uses the district mail to inform site reps of developments – not email.
Why make simple communications strategies so tortured?
I wonder what CTA would say about the way things have been handled.
I wish David Barton were half as interested in doing something for the riffed teachers as he is in fighting and winning the restoration of a 1.5% cut for the three buy back days that few teachers considered of any value to themselves or their students. Obviously, Barton is again proving that he cares only about grabbing as much money as he can for senior teachers. Those of us who were riffed can go to hell as far as he’s concerned. He won’t acknowledge a conflict of interest because he was never interested in the riffed teachers in the first place.
And Need to Know, how in the world would you know what the district might or might not do with the money it saves from having to fund buy back days? Answer: You don’t.
anom #816,
Thanks for the heads up. I think you can access the link now. This “housekeeping” stuff can be tedius and sometimes errors will occur 😉
Oh and btw, KTN,
I requested that SAEA Webmaster and Vice President Jeffrey Goldberg send me a link or notification of any SAEA updates so that I could repost those links for the membership that reads here. NO response.
I just don’t “get” that there is a desire to share information and recruit members to help assist. I just don’t see much evidence of it.
#766
Sojourner Truth,
“At the present time, there are 764 messages in this blog ( Yes, I visited the other blog, why are there two different ones?) How many individuals are really participating in this discussions? ”
Sorry for the delayed response. I think Art may have answered it well already.
There are several corruption links that are for different years. The first year that art ran a running thread about the corruption at the school district, there were about 2k posts over a two and a half year period and then the whole thread froze up and was basically unusuable b/c of the length of that topic and the software limitations to handle that many posts per thread.
We started a new thread and then painstakingly copied/pasted the 2006, 2007 and 2008 into separate threads. It was a labor that will benefit anyone that wants to see what good ol’ Jeff Bishop was up to in 2006 and 2007. He’s pretty much a one-trick pony of being abusive, so you can see how he operates.
In this 2009 corruption thread, I have begun to post news stories on another thread at the request of readers. In the past some of these stories and related articles had been posted to the general threads, so you have to factor that into the number of posts per thread in the past.
From my observations there is still intense interest and participation on the subject of the school district. Art’s numbers bears this out.
Thanks for joining in the discussions here and I would like to thank all the others who have spent time to inform others who are interested in keeping current.
Red Vixen,
Can you please post on here the threads that were of Jeff Bishop. I saw the 2006 and 2007 threads that are above this and there were a few comments about Jeff Bishop and Navarro. I was wondering if it was also located some place else.
Also look at year 2008 http://orangejuiceblog.com/2008/06/new-sausd-corruption-open-thread/
I kind of skimmed over some of the posts and was remembering that there were constant complaints about Bishop but most were fairly vague.
Very early on someone posted something about Bishop being a sexual predator against a male teacher who was immediately removed and put up in SAEA offices until he could be safely moved to a different site. The post was removed b/c the accusations and details were VERY explicit. I belive that Art removed one or more of that kind of post.
It was fairly early in the corruption “game” here and I think Art was more cautious b/c there were even accounts that the school district had tasked some of their attorneys to monitor OJ so that posters could be outted and fired.
Definitely skim over the posts from all years. I would expect that teachers at Willard might feel more comfortable telling on Bishop after he is gone from the site.
All teachers should pay attention to who cozies up to the likes of Bishop. You’ll need to be cohesive if you want a decent work environment.
Document, document, document ALL shenanigans. You’ll need it.
Great work Red Vixen,
Can you also please post on here the threads that are of Tony Espinosa and Valley counselors. Can you also find out how many lawsuits he’s been involved in? And how many outstanding lawsuits the distrist has outstanding in general? The amount the districts has paid out in lawsuits since it starting cutting budgets from 2004?
I also heard that there is a rather nasty lawsuit involving Juan Lopez.
Thanks for all your hard work on our behalf!
For all you Rif’ed teachers, you might want to consider trying to get into this event. It looks like they are still looking for more attendees:
This week, don’t miss the opportunity to join the California Listening Tour when we’re on the ground in your neighborhood.
Please join us, and let us know how you’d like to see California organized. If we’re going to help pass an agenda that will put our nation back on track, we need your suggestions for creating the specific plans that will work in your community.
Your effort was crucial in getting us this far. Now we can’t let up — it’s just too important.
Sign up now to join the Listening Tour:
http://ca.barackobama.com/ListeningTourCA
I look forward to seeing you,
Mary Jane
Mary Jane Stevenson
California State Director
Organizing for America
#824 sbello
Definitely look in the years of 2006 and 2007 – Tony had a ton of complaints against him when Mijares was Superintendent. There were even spicy allegations that one of his family members/brothers? was the custodian who was acting out in lewd ways. Even weird little details like Tony was tasked to bring treats/donuts to meetings which kept him in good favor. Remember… when Mijares was Sup, there were regular prayer group meetings at local restaurants where only the inner circle of his cronies were invited.
The counselor incidents by far were the most damning and it’s all on this blog under one of the threads – including the attorney’s name. He most likely could be contacted if you are having similar problems.
Good luck and if you find what you are looking for, maybe make a quick and easy reference post with the dates/times/links of the pertinent discussions.
I’ve notice people want to find out about lawsuits. All one needs to do is:
Step 1: go to this link
http://www.occourts.org/online-services/case-access/
Step: 2: click on CIVIL Cases
Step 3: click yes/ok for disclaimer
Step 4: click on BUSINESS search
Type Santa Ana Unified
Next (scroll down) and see a ton of cases
and lawsuits.
I was going to post this in another blog, but people want it now and it is public info. Enjoy!
@824 I know exactly what you mean. I’ve worked with this guy a while back and he belongs no where near staff and students. He gets kicked out of Valley only to be sent to Segerstrom. I know of one lawsuit where the settlement was 500,000. Maybe I’ve said to much but I find it ridiculous that he hasn’t been canned yet. Its just like its mentioned earlier in this thread. Sausd likes to reward failure….
Red Vixen – Thank you for your commitment and good work! If you live in the district why don’t you run for school board. I’d vote for you! The district administration will only change with a new board. Thanks again.
sbello,
Thanks for the appreciation and the encouragement. Positive change can only be made from the top at this time: By the Board of Ed, the Unions and the School Administration. They must all be working for the same goals and they must all be committed to doing the right things. I don’t see that as a possibility right now. I think it is more of “every dog for himself” for those in the power positions whether they choose to effect change or doggedly keep the status quo. They are “comfortable” with the levels of service they have been giving. It is the workers, the students and community members who suffer.
The missing elements for a grassroots movement would be the parents, students, taxpayers and community members of the city demanding and pressuring for change. But there is currently NO organization in place for that.
I have made a suggestion of the Obama Listening Tour that will be in town on Sunday. Their goal is to help people in communities just like SA organize and change what ails it. They are committed to hiring staff and opening up 10 offices. If people who are hurting in SA sign up and show some kind of commitment, maybe they’d consider leasing one of the numerous vacant business offices that are littered around the city right now and open up a local office.
Join me on Sunday to see what the possibilities are?
828 – With a little investigation, maybe this blog could start showing the dollar amounts that the district incurs when they settle with these incompetents. Example – several years ago an etremely incompetent administrator was hired from outside the distrit. William Quemada was brought in as an Assitant Principal. Saying that he was incompetent does not even begin to describe his inadequacies. Rather than do the right thing and let him go, he was bounced around from school to school. He eventually decided to sue. At the beginning of this school year, they paid him $100,000 to drop his lawsuit. And then they had the audacity to let him substitute in the district.
With a flawed hiring process that continues in the current regime, the district continues to incur lawsuits – MaryEllen Storm released from Willard, Tracy Brennan released from Saddleback, Gloria Nogales-Tally released from Lathrop, Angel Gallardo released from Carr are a few that immediately come to mind. None of these individuals should been hired in the first place. They all brought poor administrative records with them. Each time one of these individuals was released (fired), they sought legal counsel and then the dollars begin adding up. I wonder how many jobs could have been saved if we hired more qualified individuals to begin with.
Wonder if Freddy Gomeztrejo has sought legal counsel yet?
Where will the Obama listening tour be held and at what time?
This is the first time I have ever seen this blog. Some friends told me about some of the awful things that have been written on this blog and that they can’t even read it anymore. So I must admit, my curiosity got the best of me!
I must say I find it very strange that outsiders are suddenly experts at how SAEA should conduct their elections. I didn’t know that this Red Vixen person was SAEA’s election’s montitor. She asked that she wonders how CTA would feel about this election? Well, CTA montitors all local elections, and they are montoring this one as well. Observers are free to observe the counting of the ballots at the SAEA office on May 21 at 4:00. I helped count the ballots in the 2004 election. We had plenty of volunteers help count the ballots and there were lots of observers as well. We even had some people from CTA and the League of Women Voters.
Good luck to all the candidates in this election!
Welcome Cheryl aka District Employee. Red Vixen is not claiming to be an expert. This blog is simply allowing others to vent, post alternative points of view and give employees who may feel they were not represented properly a voice. It appears that you are friends with the Union and that’s ok. By the way, did you lose your job, get a pink slip, or lose your benefits? I bet not. The only people who defend the union are people who made these rules and negotiated in favor of the district and their corruption. I would be careful who you are friends with because maybe they are taking money out of your wallet while you are posting.
333 – Oh such innocence. The first time you’ve read this blog! Do you really think we are so stupid as to believe this? I don’t think so. All you do with a posting like this is temporarily divert everyone from the real issues confronting this district – they are corrupt and terribly incompetent!
Red Vixen (#817) I’m sorry that you don’t completely trust my opinions. I’m not sure what I can do to change that
As for being biased and defensive, I’ll admit to that, but then the same can be said for many others – and therefore you should also not completely trust their opinions for the same reasons.
However, I at least try and present some type of coherent argument for my position rather than just spout off with hateful words.
As for the “current bunch at SAEA being particularly adept.”, I guess I have a different perspective. I try and give them credit for the good and also try and figure out a way for them to do better. It’s easy for all of us to sit here on the sidelines and second-guess the direction and decisions that are made, but I don’t think it’s particularly fair.
I’m not sure why you insist on it being official looking or sounding – she used her own email account, on her own time, with nothing indicating that she was acting as grievance chair or on behalf of SAEA.
It would be the same as any other elected official using their personal email account, on personal time, for endorse people that they thought they could work with. I’m still not convinced that, even though she addressed it to site reps, that all of those that were recipients were site reps. And I don’t think Jennifer has ever indicated that she was acting as or on behalf of Maureen as Elections Chair.
That Maureen uses the district mail to inform site reps of developments – and not email – is a personal choice for her. Also, it gets the actual information in printed form into the hands of the reps so it can be posted and/or distributed as necessary.
I’m not sure what you mean by about making simple communications strategies so tortured? What is tortured? Using District mail?
CTA I believe would say that nothing is perfect and Maureen and SAEA are acting correctly. They have followed the directions of CTA and they are taking whatever actions are necessary to ensure that any potential issues are resolved. The fact that SAEA is hold a new vote for State Council Rep is an indication of Maureen’s and SAEA’s commitment to holding ethical and honest elections.
Cheryl! Welcome!
Yes, this blog is not for the faint of heart. You are a pretty good speed reader to have looked it all over and are issuing your indepth comments.
You think I’d personally contact CTA and ask questions about how the SAEA election is being run? I would if I thought it could spark some dialogue 😉
No one is monitoring the elections, unless it is CTA. Oj is only commenting on some of the little funky-isms of how SAEA chooses to treat its membership in voting.
#333
geesh, troll much?
or is it just the by product of being half of 666? (the devil for those with the question)
all I can say is “Oh MY!”
http://is.gd/Axpm
And the news could get worse. Schwarzenegger also announced Thursday a proposal to shorten the school year by five to seven days, as well as extend the deadline for laying off teachers and other staff to Aug. 15, which would make it possible for school districts to issue even more pink slips.
Count your blessings…you could be NEXT …
Anon (#834) Actually, you are wrong – I defend most of the union’s positions, but I am not a union employee or a union hack. I did not write the rules or negotiate the contract.
rif rif (#818): 1.5% = an across the board, non-negotiated pay-cut for all employees.
If teachers don’t like the buy-back days, then they should voice that opinion to SAEA leadership, otherwise, SAEA will continue to fight for them.
It’s not more money for senior teachers, it’s money for EVERY teacher.
David does not believe, in yours words, that RIFd teachers can go to hell.
The conflict of interest you believe exists, is actually non-existent.
And, rif rif, I have as much knowledge about what SAUSD will do with the saving as you do – ZERO. But, I believe without a doubt that SAUSD will NOT save one job with the money.
I believe the buyback day holds different meaning for different teachers. Some schools use it for in-teacher service days, actually instructing them in new procedures and helping them as well as giving them time in their classroom to get ready. There are too many principals, like Bishop, that shanghaied the whole procedure and made it into an indoctrination program and ultimately didn’t allow them much time in their classroom. I can see those teachers saying, yeah, no love lost there!
NTK – This is going to be my last exchange with you. I don’t respect your opinions. SAEA does have a clear conflict of interest regarding the buy back days. I know many teachers who don’t want the buy back days and who would rather allow the district to spend that money more wisely in times of a financial crisis. That you deny a conflict of interest is ridiculous.
Fighting for the 1.5% is not for the benefit of every teacher, as you say. It is only for teachers who have jobs, the senior teachers. Take those union blinders off already.
You also admit that you have zero knowledge as to how the district would use the 1.5% it could save, but still have the audacity to insist that the district would not use it to save jobs. It takes a special kind of ego and although I hate to say it, foolishness, to have such a strong opinon that is admittedly based on zero knowledge. I disagree with you vehemently. Saving 20:1 is a Board priority. That is clear from all the budget presentations on the district web site. I don’t know whether they will be able to do it, but certainly the savings of 1.5% on the buy back days would help.
NTK, I have no respect for your one-sided and ridiculously biased opinions, and will not engage with you anymore. Whatever you respond to this, if you do, don’t expect any further response from me. I’ll just respond in advance that although you deny that you are a union hack, you walk like a hack and talk like a hack, so I dismiss you as the hack you are. You have no credibility with me.
Just continue believing that SAEA and David Barton fight for the riffed teachers. And pour yourself another big glass of Koolaid after your next 3 mile run. Bye.
Anybody heard what kinds of perks Jane will relinquish to save money, even if it’s just for show? I know – wishful thinker.
Hang in there, NTK, it could be worse.
When I started here, SAUSD’s personnel director outright lied to me regarding previous experience and step placement. I discovered this a year or so later, and joined SAEA to get some help. (We weren’t closed shop then.) Our executive director Bill Riblett corrected my placement with one phone call but I’d lost over $5,000 salary by then. I was astonished to find that only 20% of SAHS faculty were SAEA members. I’d come from a military career where you didn’t leave the bar ’til you’d bought a round for the table, so I printed out a list of SAEA members and hung it up in the faculty room with the heading: “These are the teachers who pay for the others salary negotiations.” It apparently lasted less then 30 min before it was ripped down, and our only SAEA rep at that time, a very tiny woman, asked if I was the one who’d put up the list. She said “Please, don’t do that again … Everyone thought it was me, and Mxxxxxe (a very large woman) punched me! ”
It could be worse. Here’s a whole site committed to vilifying those who work with the teachers’ union. http://edethics.org/about.html
NTK was using multiple monikers (ie, #841 as Anonymous) for the purpose of spamming this message board and berating other posters. I have eliminated several of her comments as unnecessary and incivil. fyi.
I found a couple of old SAUSD news articles from my google alert that I think SAHSTeacher and other old timers might enjoy:
SANTA ANA – School Board Adds Trustee With Insight
By Greg Hernandez
December 05, 1990
Gerardo Mouet, who grew up in Tijuana, said that experience gives him insight into the needs of the large immigrant population of the Santa Ana school district, which he was chosen this week to serve.
Mouet, 33, who was named to the school board, was born in San Diego but grew up in Mexico. He crossed the U.S. border every day to attend classes at San Ysidro Academy, a private Roman Catholic school.
“I witnessed a lot of poverty and suffering,” Mouet said. “It made me realize that I had a unique opportunity to take advantage of the educational system.”
Mouet gained experience creating such opportunities for students during his six years with UC Irvine’s Educational Opportunity Program/Student Affirmative Action Department, where he developed and coordinated a program designed to prepare students to become active and socially responsible leaders.
Mouet now works for the city of Santa Ana’s personnel services department and is responsible for overseeing the city’s affirmative action plan. He is also chairman of the Orange County Fair Housing Council.
Besides creating more educational opportunities for students, Mouet would also like to increase the Santa Ana Unified School District’s contact with parents.
“One of the biggest challenges for this district is to communicate with the parents and the community on the issues,” Mouet said. “I think I am very capable in this area and have a good track record of being able to communicate with parents of all ethnic heritages.”
Mouet was chosen from among 12 applicants to fill the remainder of the term vacated by Robert L. Richardson, who stepped down after being elected last month to the City Council. Mouet will be sworn as a member of the five-member board Dec. 11 and will serve until the term expires in November.
Board member Sal Mendoza, who supported community activist John Raya for the vacant position, cast the only vote against Mouet. But after the vote, Mendoza supported his new colleague.
“He’s very impressive, and I think he’s going to be a great asset to the board,” Mendoza said. “He brings some strengths that maybe the other board members don’t have.”
======================================********
SANTA ANA – Trustees to Choose Year-Round Schedule
February 04, 1991
The school board Tuesday is to decide on a year-round schedule for four elementary schools.
The board will choose between a schedule of 60 days of school and 20 days of vacation, or 45 days of school and 15 days of vacation. Either rotation will begin on July 1.
District administration is recommending the 60-days-on, 20-days-off schedule for all four of the schools because it will require a minimum number of room changes. A survey of school staffs and parents also indicated a preference for this particular schedule, a spokesman said.
The board’s decision will affect 3,621 students at Adams, Garfield (to open in September), Hoover, and Washington elementary schools, which were placed on a year-round schedule to ease overcrowding and accommodate growth.
Reference to SAUSD board secretary, Audrey Yamagata-Noji:
Students have voted, new A.S. officers announced
“First of all, I have to say that we’ve already started, with the community discount program we already have 25 businesses on board,” he said. “We certainly want to publicize it so that all the students know about the program.”
He also said he had plans for hosting an event geared specifically toward international students.
“I’m actually working with Audrey [Yamagata-Noji] vice president of student life. I’m organizing Gala dinner/conference. International students are going to come and tell about their experience here at Mt. SAC, tell about themselves so that administration here on campus will know generally who we are, what we stand for and what we go through on a daily basis.”
Kouassi said that his experience in A.S. will bring out his leadership abilities and that it is an opportunity he does not want to let go.
“I believe in lifelong learning. For me, helping and serving others is having the privilege to make policies for others, and being involved with successful people who are in the administration is certainly an experience that I wouldn’t like to give up,” he said.
More on the clickable link/title above……..
Santa Ana school board renews Nova Academy charter
About 100 parents, students, teachers and others attend Tuesday’s meeting to support school.
By FERMIN LEAL
The Orange County Register
Comments 1| Recommend 0
SANTA ANA The Santa Ana Unified School Board renewed the charter Tuesday for Nova Academy, a school focused on allowing students to simultaneously take college courses and high school classes.
Nearly 100 students, parents and teachers from the school attended Tuesday’s meeting to support the new five-year charter.
Nova Academy, with 79 students, allows some students to earn associate arts degrees from Santa Ana College at the same time they earn high school diplomas. The campus was originally granted a charter as a school for foster children and orphans, and is sponsored by Olive Crest Homes and Services for Abused Children.
Charter schools receive funding directly from the state. They have to provide their own facilities and other services. School districts provide oversight of charter schools’ finances and curriculum and can deny charters if districts believe the schools are falling short of their obligations.
Santa Ana Unified officials had said there were concerns that the number of instructional minutes of many students did not meet minimum state standards. Some students left their high school courses early, or arrived late, so they could attend their college courses, district officials said.
But Nova Academy administrators said students now make up the lost minutes in extra classes during the week.
1 Comment was left:
systemvictim wrote:
SAUSD is concerned about MINUTES? OCR- do an investigation on their SARB program (student attendance review board)
They have students- entire families of school age children that haven’t been to school in days, weeks and months. Clean your own house before you pass judgment on a program where kids are LEARNING.
5/13/2009 3:44:07 PM