Busted again! The Santa Ana Unified School District had to rescind almost 200 teacher layoffs after the lame district administrators found out that they had dated many of the teachers’ seniority dates incorrectly, according to the O.C. Register.
It figures that the district would screw this up – they hardly do anything correctly. What do you expect from a bankrupt school district that hired a Superintendent with no experience and no PhD in education? Garbage in, garbage out as they say.
“The teachers were all hired with provisional or emergency credentials. But their seniority dates were keyed to the date they received their full credential, not the date they started at the district,” according to the O.C. Register.
The SAUSD is $31 million in the hole. The City of Santa Ana is $28 million in the red. What a bunch of losers we have on the SAUSD School Board and the Santa Ana City Clowncil. No wonder Pulido and his lame Clowncil are so friendly with the SAUSD majority. They are all corrupt and inept.
And it is not going to get any better in November. The current crop of SAUSD School Board Members leaves much to be desired. Candidates include:
- Rob Richardson, the SAUSD School Board Vice President. Under Rob’s “leadership” the SAUSD has sunk like the Titanic.
- Jose Hernandez, the SAUSD School Board President. Jose said recently that the number one problem in the SAUSD is a lack of teachers. He said this even as he and his lame cohorts laid off hundreds of teachers, including a 2008 “teacher of the year.”
- Mike Gonzalez, a Pulido hack who owns a security guard company and a suspect promotions company. Gonzalez tried to get appointed to a city commission recently and according to inside sources in City Hall his background check was less than flawless. Now he wants on to the school board? Yikes!
- Valerie Amezcua. Daughter of ridiculous Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee Al Amezcua. Val was a big backer of Measure G. So you can blame her for raising our property taxes in the middle of the Bush Depression!
- Gloria Alvarado. Apparently works for the City of Santa Ana and is some kind of union hack. Great.
- Irene Ibarra, a self-made businesswoman who worked for the City of Santa Ana early in her career. She is the only decent candidate at this point and has my full support.
- Cecilia Aguinaga – Could not beat Audrey Noji in the last SAUSD election. Nuff said. Should not be running in this or any other political race. Backed by Sal Tinajero. Not good!
- Roman Reyna – OMG. This dude has no clue!
I will update this list as I come across new candidates. Right now it is a big bunch of “No Se Puede.”
One word: sliiiiick.
No, wait, I have another one: SAUSD layoffs? I think they need to lay off the SAUSD! Huh? Huh? Wukka wukka! lol
SMS
Of course I’m only going by your numbers but how does a School District actually go 3 million dollars more into the hole than one of the largest cities in the county? In retrospect I’ve come to the conclusion the citizens get what they deserve.
Richardson and Noji must be defeated in November.
A.P.–
Did T.G. text you with a Measure G update? If not, check the ROV website.
What it won’t tell you is that there are only approx. 170 provisional ballots to be tabulated in the City of S.A.
Did you major in math? If not, let this wise old owl tell your pajaritos Measure G is in the clear.
Oh well, maybe next time you’ll be more influential.
Art, It’s not an issue that SAUSD’s superintendent doesn’t have a doctorate. Practically no administrators have Ph.D.’s; they have Ed.D.’s. The Ed.D. (doctorate in education) while nice to have, is to a Ph.D. as a D.C. (doctor of chiropractic) is to an M.D. Both are useful, but the time and rigor of obtaining each are quite different. We have a number of Ph.D.’s among SAUSD’s faculty where they are very useful to model the passion and the apex of an academic discipline to students in a classroom. What would be more useful to a school superintendent is an MBA in management. We no more need a Ph.D. at the superintendent’s level then a hospital administrator needs a degree in surgery. What we need from the superintendent is top flight leadership skills, and these are still lacking.
Apparently the layoffs are being overseen by a judge. Here is the most recent link and story. Chart, comments and additional information can be found at the orginal link here:
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/align-right-strong-2062006-teachers-unified
School districts have restored jobs for more than 400 educators in the last two weeks, dropping the potential number of budget-cut driven layoffs and terminations to 1,330.
And that number is expected to fall even longer.
Leading the way is the Capistrano Unified School District, which has restored jobs for all 265 permanent, certificated teachers.
Santa Ana Unified, meanwhile, has restored 180 of 573 potential layoffs and meets on Tuesday to consider as many as 140 more rescissions.
And Saddleback Valley Unified is reviewing a plan June 24 that could bring back a number of the 186 educators it has told will be laid off or terminated.
Driving the actions are revisions the state’s budget situation.
In January, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a proposal to suspect Prop. 98, the guaranteed funding mechanism for schools. The move would have cut $4.8 billion from 2008-09 allocations for K-12 schools and community colleges.
In response, 16 Orange County school districts announced plans to layoff certificated teachers, who needed to be warned by March 15, and to terminate temporary teachers working on one-year contracts. Many districts also cut staff and administrators and chopped education programs.
At first, 1,918 teachers educators were warned they could lose their jobs. But districts began assessing attrition and retirements, and adjusting budgets. The number dropped by 179 to 1,739 by May 15, when the state requires final layoff notices to be issued.
Then, the governor presented a revised budget proposal. Despite a worsening state revenue situation, he met the state’s Prop. 98 funding minimums — reduced by the lower revenue. Schools are still expected to come up about $4 billion shy of what they originally expected — but they’ll get more than under the January plan.
The state budget must still be approved by legislators and sent to the governor, but districts have begun adjusting budgets again based on the changed picture.
Santa Ana’s first round of restorations stemmed from an error. Teachers’ seniority dates — the primary criteria for layoffs — had been miscalculated. Should the disdtrict reduce its numbers by the 140 anticipated on Tuesday, it would bring down countywide layoffs and terminations to 1,190.
Below is a district by district look at the numbers as they currently stand. In some cases, district names are highlighted to indicate links to complete layoff lists or related stories. Additional information on district cuts is available below the chart.
……………
Brea Olinda Unified has released the names of Mariko Tokiyoda, a Japanese teacher at Brea Olinda High School, and James Connolly, guidance specialist at Brea Junior High School, who received final layoff notices. The district also indicated 15 more temporary teachers will be terminated — though it has not yet named who those will be. Those 15 would bring the total to 929.
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unifiedhas preserved the jobs of six music teachers, but is releasing seven counselors and a technology coordinator. Here are their names: Noreen Murphy, technology coordinator, district; Paul Juarez, counseler, Valencia High School Corrine Bodnar, counseler, Kraemer Middle School; Cynthia Muniz, counseler, Kraemer Middle School; Kimberly Houg, counseler, Esperanza High School; Danielle Paris, counseler, Bernardo Yorba Middle School; Tonia Latorre, counseler, Valencia High School; Sally Weirich, counseler, Valencia High School.
In Santa Ana Unified, final layoff figures do not need to be released until June 26. A judge agreed to extend the district’s deadline because of the high number of teachers requesting hearings with district officials to provide just cause for their potential layoffs. A total of 573 received layoff notices in March, with 384 of those asking for the hearings.
Districts that are terminating only temporary teachers do not need to meet the deadline, and in those cases, there is no appeal.
Anon, it would be such a better world if you were actually right. SAUSD problems are not as easy to solve as you imply. Yes, the Board is full of clowns like you say. The main clowns, however, I’ve not seen on this page! Avila and Palacio belong in some little cafe in some little city in some little country. They need not to be anywhere close to the field of education. In most of the issues, those two are always lost. They don’t understand what people are talking about!! They don’t know the issues and they don’t even want to know! They love listening to themselves and promoting their own agenda. As far as the Superintendent goes, she’s trying to deal with the mess she was left with. Mijares had a doctorate! Look where THAT PH.D. got us!!
Actually #7 is right on. John and Rosie are the only ones who aren’t afraid of staff. Have you seen Jose Hernandez at the board meetings? He look BORED, uninterested and lost. Seems the budget work is over his head.
#8 is smoking crack and needs to put the pipe down.
Really, crack??? How old are you??? It seems to me you have not spent much time at board meetings. If you had, you would also know that John has actually FALLEN ASLEEP!!! These meetings are not the most exciting event in the OC. I think each one of us is guilty of dosing off here and there. What matters is what these people DO when not bored off their mind. John and Rosie may not be afraid of the staff because they have NO CLUE what they’re doing. I suggest you talk to these people first before you accuse them of stupidity. Rosie IS NOT very smart! Talk to her about the issues and see how far you get before she starts giving you “fluff”.
Tenured
It actually took you 15 days to come up with this reply? Perhaps Rosie and John are not the smartest in the room, but they had the common sense not to vote for measure G because they knew the district didn’t really need it and how badly the district managed the money on the last measure. As far as Jane goes in your previous comment, Mijares has been gone a long time now. He may have started the ball rolling down hill, but Jane kicked it. This mess is her fault and the staff she has hired or kept since she took over.
It actually took me 15 days because, hmmmm, I have a life! Listen, you shouldn’t get so upset. It’s MY opinion. I know Jane personally, and perhaps the fact that I know how intelligent and caring she really is makes me less objective. I do know, however, the mess Mijares left. I was in the middle of it, and had to leave a position I loved because of it. When you’re in it, you see it differently. Jane knew what she was getting into. I see courage and guts in her I never thought she had. But there she is. Apparently, you think ANYONE can do her job. I don’t agree. As far as the other two go… common sense is the last trait I see in them. BUT you have your opinion too. I guess that’s what great about this forum.
Tenured,
Well I can appreciate you have a life since I obviously don’t. I’ve done over two digits for SAUSD and another 10 for another district so I can compare. You know Jane and I don’t. No I do not think anyone can do that job. But I’ve worked under 5 superintendents and what is clear to me is Jane can’t do the job, or at least is the victim of some bad advice. Of course that is just my personal opinion with a lot of fired classified this last week to support that opinion.
When teachers out in different schools complain about Janes subordinates multiple times something is wrong. I don’t know which associate or assistant superintendent it is, but something is wrong especially if Jane is such a straight arrow as you say.
What I do know is this is not Costco and the almighty dollar is not the bottom line to a school district. Jane walked into a firewall with her eyes open and has done nothing but make it worse when you do an honest comparison to like districts.
Either she is incompentent or has delegated her authority to those out to sink her. At some point she will either fire some of the top administrators or explain why she didn’t. The community is waking up and hopefully the board will take the first hit for letting this all continue. No matter what you think of the board members, only the two that won’t play ball are called the morons.
Tenured,
I was interested to see someone posting that knows Jane Russo personally. I have been interested in how some of the more recent hires were done. Was it her choice or Juan Lopez’ when hiring Dr. Olsky? How about the promotion and retention of Fred Gomeztrejo? How about the new principal at SAHS? Are these her choices as a leader?
And I guess we can assume that Jane is aware of this blog, just as you are? I wonder if she views the blog as a resource to getting a heads up on problems? It seems like a leader would actually address this OJ elephant in the room. Much of what is posted here has already made it to her desk or the desk of one of her subordinates who should be bringing serious matters to her attention.
Anon #13 – I could not agree more. The network of employees and community members who are aware of the serial problems in the district is growing.
In addition to the two “moron” board members mentioned here, who can be counted on to actually care about the problems, it looks like you can add Mr. Hernandez, board president, to the list of board members who can work with problems and give some help.
Making this district functional as an educational institution is taking a lot of effort and persistence. I think there are more positives this past year, but I just don’t think that Jane Russo has been the change agent. I think changes have been made despite her reluctance and stalling.
How weird would it be for Jane Russo to be sitting across from Palacios, Hernandez and Rosie and acting like she’s never seen this blog and has NO IDAEA that there were such problems!
Oh my!
#15
I don’t think it would be weird at all. I think it would be business as usual. “Deny, Deny, Deny”.
I feel there is more going on below the surface. It looks like SAUSD is very top heavy. How many Directors and consultants are going to layoff classified before the union does something. Some consultants are now creating jobs for themselves because they know how the game is played @ sausd. A big percentage of classified employees live in Santa Ana and what will happen to measure G when sausd doesn’t get the tax money they expected.
These directors will hire their buddies to do the construction. We need a watch dog group to monitor spending. I heard last time a measure passed the money was being used by contractors and employees of sausd to do side jobs… until they got caught and fired.
Goodafternoon, Gents and ladies, I had the oppportunity to volunteer at the Wonderful Hostipal of St., Joseph… God Bless our doctors , nurses and volunteer we have in Orange County. On the first day back in March I had meet a lady by the the name of Rosemary Avila whom worked for the School district. Shementioned there is a lot of things that have gone on and people pretend to not know what happened to bids, monies and raise. I was completely lost with her need to tell me this not knowing who she is but she trusted me enough to tell me there is a lot of things the voters and our community does not know… I honestly and truthfully believe that she she be questioned or interviewed.
This is an increadible story. However, for know I would like to suggest that every one think IMPECCABLE and be nice and get along because where in a reecession and its gona get worse.
kind regards,
Richard H. Alfaro
Nothing get lost …it get taken or stolen.