OC Politics Blog | Category Archives: Al Mijares

OC Department of Education to consider $293,250 pay for Superintendent

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Editor Posted in Al Mijares, Deborah Pauly, Education, OC Board of Education, Orange County, Robert Hammond Leave a comment

OC Department of Education to consider $293,250 pay for Superintendent

By Deborah Pauly

This is important and requires your action.

It has been brought to my attention that an item has been placed on the Orange County Board of Education agenda proposing a 2-percent pay raise ($5,750.00) for the Superintendent of Schools Al Mijares.

Mr. Mijares’ current salary is $287,500.00 making him the highest paid elected official in Orange County. The 2-percent raise would bring his base salary to $293,250.00. This does not include benefits. The concerned Board of Education Trustee who brought this matter to my attention has been frustrated in his efforts to obtain a complete record of Mr. Mijares’ contract and package. “I’m being stonewalled,” wrote Robert Hammond, OCBOE Trustee. Continue reading→

Charter schools linked to weird Turkish sect face closure

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Editor Posted in Al Mijares, Education, Orange County, Santa Ana 8 Comments

Map of Gulen Schools

A fiscal audit of two Los Angeles charter schools for fiscal mismanagement has led to concerns about the two charter schools’ parent organization. The audit led to the closing of Magnolia Science Academy-6 and Magnolia Science Academy-7 for reasons, according to L.A. Unified district, that included “a number of irregularities.” However, the audit also apparently revealed that the charters’ parent, Magnolia Public Schools, may itself be insolvent, according to Non-Profit Quarterly.

The news about the two Magnolia schools in Los Angeles has been noticed by other localities that host Magnolia charters. The Santa Clara County Office of Education last year renewed a charter petition for a Magnolia school outside of Cupertino, but is now concerned. “We will pay attention to this—we wouldn’t want to find out that our [Magnolia charter] school would have to close because other [Magnolia] schools are in trouble,” said Don Bolce, Santa Clara’s director of special projects. “We recognize that with a charter school that is part of a charter management organization, a problem at one school could impact other schools – if there is a problem, it endangers the system.” Continue reading→

Fundraising reception for O.C. Superintendent of Schools Mijares set for Nov. 6

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Editor Posted in 2014 Elections, Al Mijares, Education, Events, Orange County 2 Comments

Al Mijares

A fundraising reception has been set for Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Al Mijares, who as of yet does not face a competitor in next year’s election. The reception will be held on November 6, 2013, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, at Zov’s Restaurant, located at 17440 East 17th St., in Tustin.

Mijares took over for former O.C. Superintendent Bill Habermehl, who retired. You may remember Mijares from his time as the Superintendent of the Santa Ana Unified School District. (He famously endorsed the recall that took out controversial SAUSD Trustee Nativo Lopez).

The Host Committee includes an astounding bipartisan collection of current and former elected officials and business leaders: Continue reading→

How did a councilman with a H.S. diploma get a County management job?

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Editor Posted in Al Mijares, Education, Orange County, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, SAUSD 6 Comments

Council Member Roman Reyna

Councilman Reyna is now another government worker

This article uses material from the New Santa Ana blog

New Santa Ana Council Member Roman Reyna’s official city bio says he is now a “Case Manager,” at the County of Orange, Department of Education. Who knew you could work in the Department of Education with only a high school diploma?

Sources are telling me that Reyna was allegedly fired from his last job at the YMCA. If true did he admit this to his new employer? And why was he fired? Continue reading→

Dr. Mijares is already making a difference as our new Supt. of O.C. Schools

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Editor Posted in 2012 Elections, Al Mijares, Education, Orange County Leave a comment

“Dr. Al Mijares has stepped into his new role as Orange County’s new Superintendent of Schools. On Wednesday, Marian Bergeson, retired California legislator and former California secretary of education, administered the oath of office to Dr. Mijares, who was selected by the Orange County Board of Education,” according to OC Metro Magazine.

I emailed Dr. Mijares today and asked him to please consider adding a translator tool to the O.C. Department of Education’s website. His predecessor, Bill Habermehl, blew me off when I made the same suggestion to him. But Mijares came through!

He sent me this email response today, from his iPad: Continue reading→

O.C. Board of Education hires Mijares as their new Superintendent

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Editor Posted in 2012 Elections, Al Mijares, Education, Orange County Leave a comment

Orange County Department of Education Press Release, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Nicole Savio, (714) 966-4385, nsavio@ocde.us

Orange County Superintendent of Schools Appointed

COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA, JUNE 6, 2012 – At the Orange County Board of Education Meeting this evening, open interviews were conducted for the position of Orange County Superintendent of Schools. Continue reading→