Superintendents
Saddleback's new superintendent: It's all about 'we'
September 15, 2010
Scott Martindale, The Orange County Register
Clint Harwick doesn't use
the words "I" or "me" to describe his accomplishments or his goals
– it's all about "we," he says. The new superintendent of the
33,000-student Saddleback Valley Unified School District says the
challenges faced by the district – including mounting financial
problems and recent employee unrest over an imposed 13.5 percent
pay cut – will only be resolved if he can bring everyone together
to work as a team…
How much do O.C. superintendents make?
May 27, 2010
Scott
Martindale, The Orange County Register They are typically the first to be
blamed when districts grapple with budget problems, employee unrest
and community criticism. They draw ire and scorn for being the
highest-compensated figures in the K-12 public school system,
making an average of $233,477 in Orange County last year. Yet their
salaries seem to be lurching ever upward, by 24 percent countywide
over the past five years … When Joseph Farley – currently schools
chief for the Anaheim Union High School District – takes over as
superintendent of the politically fractured, 52,000-student
Capistrano Unified School District this July, he will be among the
top-paid, if not the highest-paid superintendent in Orange County,
making $297,887 annually…
Anaheim Union names interim chief
May 27, 2010
Fermin Leal, The Orange County Register
Trustees with the Anaheim
Union High School District have named retired superintendent Sandra
Barry as the district's interim chief following the departure of
Joseph Farley. Barry, 63, served eight years as superintendent of
the Anaheim City School District until her retirement in 2008. She
will serve in the interim role starting June 24 until a permanent
replacement is selected. Farley, who served as chief in Anaheim
Union for five years, was hired earlier this month as
superintendent for Capistrano Unified…
O.C. superintendents lobby for reforms
May 14, 2010
Fermin Leal, The Orange County Register
Orange County’s public
schools could avert further massive budget cuts if state and
federal lawmakers allow more local control over restricted money
for schools, end unnecessary and unfunded mandates and pay their
fair share of special education costs, county school leaders said
Friday. Twenty superintendents from the county’s 28 districts
gathered at the county Department of Education headquarters to
announce their campaign for reforms they say would relieve much of
the budgetary constraints facing public schools…
Ex-Capo chief's trial on indefinite hold
May 14, 2010
Scott Martindale, The Orange County Register
The court trial for
indicted ex-Capistrano Unified Superintendent James
Fleming and a
former assistant superintendent has been put on indefinite hold
while the parties await a decision from a state appeals court
concerning dismissal of some of the charges against them. Orange
County Superior Court Judge William Froeberg in February dismissed
two of the three charges against Fleming, and one of the two
charges against former Assistant Superintendent Susan McGill. Both
appealed Froeberg's decision to a state appeals court, asking that
the remaining charges also be dismissed. Prosecutors, meanwhile,
also appealed Froeberg's decision to the higher court, asking that
the dismissed charges be reinstated…
New Capo chief: Outreach must be genuine
May 13, 2010
Scott
Martindale, The Orange County Register Joseph Farley says the key to repairing
the deep political divisions and community distrust in the
Capistrano Unified School District is to methodically and regularly
reach out to constituents, in a way that acknowledges their
frustrations, unhappiness and concerns ... Farley, 59, was hired
Tuesday as superintendent of high-achieving but politically
fractured Capistrano Unified – Orange County's second-largest
school district. He starts July 1...
Anaheim superintendent hired as Capo's chief
May 11, 2010
Scott Martindale, The Orange County Register
Capistrano Unified trustees
on Tuesday hired Joseph Farley, the superintendent of
Anaheim's
33,700-student high school
district, to replace their outgoing interim schools chief – a
decision many hope will quell mounting community distrust and
dissent in Orange County's second-largest school district. Farley,
59, will be responsible for managing 56 schools and an annual
budget of about $372 million. He will assume the post July
1…
Capo's outgoing schools chief to consult
May 11, 2010
May 11, 2010, Scott Martindale, The Orange County Register
Capistrano Unified trustees
on Tuesday hired outgoing Interim Superintendent Roberta Mahler,
whose one-year contract ends June 7, to stay on in a part-time
capacity through Aug. 31. She will work for a maximum of 40 hours a
month at $125 an hour, under a consulting contract not to exceed
$15,000 total…
Anaheim superintendent named as Capo's finalist
May 10, 2010
Scott Martindale, The Orange County Register
Joseph Farley, the
superintendent of Anaheim's
33,700-student high school
district for the past five years, has been named the sole finalist
to become the next schools chief of the high-performing but
politically fractured Capistrano Unified School District. Farley
will be responsible for managing 56 schools and an annual budget of
about $372 million. He is expected to be officially hired at a
school board meeting Tuesday and would assume the post July
1...
Judge dismisses ex-Capo chief's $5.5 million lawsuit
March 19, 2010
Scott Martindale, The Orange County Register
An Orange County judge has
dismissed a $5.5 million breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by fired
schools chief A. Woodrow Carter against the Capistrano Unified
School District, his second such ruling since Carter's termination
more than a year ago. Superior Court Judge Steven Perk in Santa Ana
said Friday that Carter had "no facts" to support the argument that
he was wrongfully terminated under state labor laws, and no right
to have been notified of performance-related issues before he was
fired...
2 charges against ex-schools chief dropped
February 26, 2010
Peter Schelden, The Orange County Register
Orange County Superior
Court Judge William Froeberg on Friday dismissed two of three
charges against ex-Capistrano Unified Superintendent
James
Fleming, who was
indicted in 2007 for allegedly creating “enemies” lists of the
school district's political opponents. Froeberg said prosecutors
had insufficient evidence for count three of the indictment,
conspiracy to commit an act injurious to the public, and for count
two, urging defeat of the same recall – leaving one remaining
charge on felony misappropriation of public funds…
$100,000-plus pension club in Capo schools, Coast College
January 27, 2010
Teri Sforza, OC Watchdog, The Orange County
Register We
continue our “obnoxious” trek through the Big Public Pension Club
of the
California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS)
– adding to our list of
folks collecting more than $100,000 a year from OC
school/community college districts … Capistrano Unified School
District has 16: Sundra Hartman $194,015.64, James Fleming
$141,331.44, Stella Hubert $129,571.68, Geraldine Gordon
$119,301.72, Richard Johnson $117,128.40, Anthony Ferruzzo
$115,577.16, Elaine Hart $113,209.08, Patrick Levens $112,482.36,
Susan MacConaghy $111,425.88, Austin Buffum $110,602.32, James
Walshe $110,255.04, Richard Campbell $105,865.68, Lois Anderson
$105,126.60, Ronald Dempsey $103,703.52, David Schlesinger
$101,996.52, John Hopkins $100,583.88; Centralia Elementary has 4:
Roberta Mahler $149522.40...
Judge dismisses ex-Capo district chief's $487,425 lawsuit
December 18, 2009
Scott Martindale, The Orange County Register
An Orange County judge
today tossed out a $487,425 breach-of-contract lawsuit filed by
fired Capistrano Unified Superintendent A. Woodrow Carter asking to
be paid for 18 months remaining on his three-year employment
contract. Superior Court Judge Steven Perk in Santa Ana said the
former school district chief was not entitled to money under the
terms of his contract. Carter was terminated in March in a
unanimous school board vote...
New Capistrano Unified chief ready to tackle strife
June 10, 2009
Scott Martindale, The Orange County Register
Roberta Mahler describes
herself as a catalyst for change who has the skills and track
record to bring warring factions together and help restore
long-term stability to the politically fractured Capistrano Unified
School District. In her first Register interview since she was
hired as interim superintendent, the 42-year educator said she
understands and is fully prepared to tackle the many challenges
facing Orange County's second largest school district…
Back to Drawing Board in superintendent search
December 20, 1999
Terry Webster, The Las Vegas Sun Another chapter in the Clark County
School District's convoluted superintendent search is about to
begin. Lacking any viable candidates -- three out of five finalists
rejected the position -- the School Board will begin the new year
with a new superintendent search … Two other finalists, George
Garcia, superintendent of the Tucson Unified School District in
Tucson, Ariz., and James Fleming, superintendent of the Capistrano
Unified School District in Southern California, were previously
eliminated by the School Board. Almost simultaneously, Fleming
produced a letter to Attea stating he was no longer
interested...
Superintendent field narrowed to two
December 08, 1999
Terry Webster, The Las Vegas Sun James Fleming, superintendent of the
Capistrano Unified School District in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.,
was scratched from the board's list of finalists … Barber said she
didn't support Fleming because she prefers someone with more of a
team approach. For Johnson, it was a matter of fit. "I thought
Fleming was very qualified and very capable," Johnson said. "He
really wanted to come to Clark County. I think it was just his
leadership style." A school spokeswoman said Fleming was attending
a San Francisco conference today and was unavailable for
comment…
School chief candidates to be investigated
December 07, 1999
Terry Webster, The Las Vegas Sun A closer look -- through a detective's
magnifying glass -- is now in order for the three Clark County
School District superintendent finalists. Having endured
questioning by two school panels and public scrutiny during
interviews under television camera lights, the candidates are being
lined up for background and reference check Aside from calling the
candidates' references, consultant William Attea wants the School
Board to hire a private investigator to produce reports at a cost
of $750 per candidate. The report would cover domestic violence,
driving records, credit reports, and court and arrest records,
Attea said Monday during a meeting with the School Board…
School Board members feeling rushed to name superintendent
December 06, 1999
Terry Webster, The Las Vegas Sun One of the main objections the board
presented to Fleming during his final interview was a perception
that he seems too bureaucratic. Fleming said he would address that
by "humanizing" all of the so-called bureaucrats in the school
district. This could be done by placing articles about school
executives in school newsletters or magazines. Bureaucrat is a term
that is overused and means nothing, he added. Fleming said he
believes his Cabinet of school executives should debate issues, but
they all should support a decision after it is made. Further,
Fleming said once a decision is made, Cabinet members should not
offer differing opinions on the issue to School Board members. "It
places a chill on the organization," he said…
Superintendent search heads for final stages
December 03, 1999
Terry Webster, The Las Vegas Sun During his reception, Fleming, the
superintendent of Capistrano Unified School District in California,
fielded questions on topics ranging from teenage pregnancy to
special education … "I'm a controversial figure on special
education because I'm willing to stand up and say, 'the emperor has
no clothes,' " he said. Fleming made that statement in reference to
the federal government's funding level for mandated special
education services…
Fleming's background good fit for superintendent's position
December 02, 1999
Terry Webster, The Las Vegas Sun Following his interviews, some of the
criticisms made of Fleming were that he was a name-dropper and a
bureaucrat. Some also said he was too self-promoting. But Fleming
said he sees nothing wrong with demonstrating he can do the job.
After watching him in action, Patricia Cunningham, chairwoman for
the Alliance for Social Justice, said Fleming is "exactly what we
don't need." "He's too bureaucratic and he puts on a good face,"
she said. "It's everything low-achieving students don't need in
education"…
Three still in running for schools chief
November 30, 1999
Terry Webster, The Las Vegas Sun Three candidates remain in the running
for the Clark County School District superintendent's job following
daylong deliberations Monday by the School Board and the
Superintendent Selection Process Committee … Some of the pluses for
Fleming were his experience in a large urban district, his planning
skills, an understanding of English Language Learner students and
his creativity. Criticisms of Fleming included name-dropping, his
financial management abilities and an emphasis on "I" rather than
"we" when citing his accomplishments…