OC Political

The details have now been found on the retirement of Orange County Department of Education Superintendent Bill Habermehl. A press release has become available on the OCDE website:

ORANGE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS WILLIAM M. HABERMEHL ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA, MAY 3, 2012 – At the Orange County Board of Education Meeting today, Orange County Superintendent of Schools, Bill Habermehl announced his retirement effective June 29, 2012.

“It has been a great honor and privilege to have served as superintendent of this exceptional county,” said Habermehl, who has been in public education for 45 years – the past 11 years as Orange County Superintendent of Schools. “I have had the opportunity in this position to work with outstanding staff, educators, board members, parents, and community members who are doing incredible work for the students of Orange County. I will miss everyone very much, but I know that I am leaving this office in good hands, and I am confident that our youngest citizens will continue to receive world-class educational services.”

Habermehl was appointed by the Orange County Board of Education in April 2001 and successfully stood for election in 2002, 2006, and again in 2010. Prior to serving as County Superintendent, he served in several positions at the Orange County Department of Education, including Director, Assistant Superintendent, and Associate Superintendent. He began his career as a science teacher and football coach in Garden Grove Unified School District, and he served as an administrator in Fullerton Joint Union High School District.

Under Bill’s leadership, he has supported the Orange County Department of Education to create or expand the development of many world-class educational programs, to name a few:

 Alternative, Community and Correctional Education Schools and Services (ACCESS)

 Community Home Education Program (CHEP)

 Inside the Outdoors

 Gift of History

 Institute for Character Education

 Interagency Autism Group (Early Intervention)

 Life Threatening Events Associated with Pediatric Sports (LEAPS)

 Orange County Animation Project

 Outstanding Contributions to Education Awards

 Spotlight on Education

In addition, Habermehl has served on various local and state boards and has been involved in numerous community organizations. He is an advocate of public education, speaking at many conferences and forums throughout the United States. Bill and his wife Holly are looking forward to spending time with their three married sons and their eight grandchildren.

Habermehl has a biography available for view on the Department of Education website that focuses on his work as a speaker, host, and moderator. It was not the easiest biography to find and it needs a bit of cleaning up, but that is a moot point now:

Bill Habermehl is the county superintendent of schools for Orange County California. With his wealth of experience at the local, state and national level he has developed an understanding of what an audience wants from an outstanding presentation.

Bill began his career as a science teacher and football coach in Orange County California and had such a positive influence on the lives of the students that years later his impact is still felt. Bill is actively involved with local business and community organizations. He serves on or is directly involved with over 35 boards. These include: the Orange County Business Council, United Way of Orange County, Discovery Science Center, the Ocean Institute, Drug Abuse is Life Abuse, Pretend City, Junior Achievement and many more. These contacts and experience have given him a wealth of stories and real life experiences that bring his public speaking to a new and exciting level.

Bill is a fantastic communicator with people of all ages and backgrounds. He engages his audience with a dynamic presentation made up of video clips, beautiful slides and sometimes infused with magic that keeps everyone on the edge of their seats. Bill has been writing monthly articles for a number of educational publications and has his own television show “Spotlight on Education” which focuses on current events and issues in education. Bill recently had the distinction of filling in as the closing keynote speaker when former President Bill Clinton was unable to do so at the national conference of the Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA).

Additionally, Bill is an inventor and has been honored with several prestigious awards:

• Superintendent of Distinction Award bestowed by Pepperdine Univ. 2010
• Power-Packed Philanthropist Award bestowed by the Orange County Community Foundation. 2011
• PTA Honorary Service Award for outstanding community service to children & youth in a community bestowed. 2012

New for 2011! Bill recently finished his second book entitled: “From Dropout….to Diploma: the ACCESS Code to Student Success“. This exciting book shares the story of the program he started over 20 years ago which has saved literally hundreds of thousands of students from dropping out of school and going on to be successful in community colleges, universities and career technical programs. This fantastic book comes with a DVD highlighting the actual stories of five students and their teachers and support staff. This is a must read and see book! Bill’s presentation about turning around schools and dealing with at risk kids sets the stage for everyone wanting to make a difference for the students in their school or district. For more information and how to obtain your copy of the book please go to: book.dropouttodiploma.com

Having Bill Habermehl as a keynote speaker or moderator will bring new life and excitement to your program. You will find the testimonials and video clips of a few of his presentations will show you just how exciting he can be. With a little magic thrown in, everyone will walk away saying “WOW“

Habermehl was appointed to the post of County Superintendent of Public Instruction prior to the 2002 election taking over for John F. Dean. The policies in place back then are the same as the policies in place now, which lead to the ability of the County Board of Education to appoint a replacement instead of letting the voters decide.

If more information becomes available in the coming days we will continue to update our readers.