Carol A Berg

A growing chorus of discontent confronted the Newport-Mesa school board Tuesday night as nearly 250 parents and teachers packed the auditorium to repeat their call for a change of leadership in the school district. Galvanized by the arrest last month of the school district's former top financial officer, Stephen A.

A growing chorus of discontent confronted the Newport-Mesa school board Tuesday night as nearly 250 parents and teachers packed the auditorium to repeat their call for a change of leadership in the school district. Galvanized by the arrest last month of the school district's former top financial officer, Stephen A.

In the wake of a financial scandal that has hit the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, the new president of the Board of Education promised this week to do "whatever is necessary" to improve the quality of education. Jim de Boom said district administrators have been directed to review management practices and develop new policies.

The second-highest-ranking administrator at the Newport-Mesa Unified School District resigned this week to accept a job in Sacramento, school officials announced. Carol A. Berg, who has been deputy superintendent for the last four years, has accepted a job with School Services of California, a private consulting firm. Berg will begin there on July 1. "Although Newport-Mesa will always be near and dear to my heart," Berg said, "this offer is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

A growing chorus of discontent confronted the Newport-Mesa school board Tuesday night, as nearly 250 parents and teachers packed the auditorium to repeat their call for a leadership change. "As taxpayers and parents of the children, we feel it is counterproductive and inappropriate for the board to be non-communicative and confrontational toward us," said Dan Vinke, a father of two who represented an informal coalition of about two dozen parents.

The leadership of the classified employees' union has sent a letter to the trustees of the embattled Newport-Mesa Unified School District supporting current administrators and calling for a careful approach to problem-solving in the district, which is still reeling from the embezzlement of at least $3.5 million by its former top financial officer. Signed by the union's eight-member executive board, the letter praises acting Supt. Carol A.

Supt. John W. Nicoll, who has been under pressure to step down as head of the beleaguered Newport-Mesa Unified School District, announced his resignation Saturday, citing failing health. Nicoll, 71, has served for 21 years as the top administrator of the Newport-Mesa district, now reeling from the largest embezzlement in California education history. During his tenure, Nicoll hired and promoted Stephen A.

Supt. John W. Nicoll, who has been under pressure to step down as head of the beleaguered Newport-Mesa Unified School District, announced his resignation Saturday, citing old age and failing health. Nicoll, 71, has served for 21 years as the top administrator of the Newport-Mesa district, which is now reeling from what is believed to be the largest embezzlement in California education history. During his tenure, Nicoll hired and promoted Stephen A.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District filed suit Monday against Wells Fargo Bank, alleging that the bank failed to protect district funds and negligently allowed the district's former top fiscal officer to embezzle at least $3 million in school money. The legal action came as the district's teachers cast an overwhelming vote of no confidence in Newport-Mesa's top three administrators and called on the district's Board of Education to launch a search for new leadership.

Parents and teachers who have been demanding new leadership in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District said they are pleased by Supt. John W. Nicoll's decision to retire this spring, but that deeper changes are essential to restoring public confidence in the troubled district.

Fired school finance officer Stephen A. Wagner pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzling more than $3.5 million from the Newport-Mesa Unified School District over at least six years, and renewed his pledge to make restitution of the looted funds. Wagner, who entered the guilty plea in a barely audible voice at his arraignment in Superior Court, faces eight years and eight months in state prison on five counts of misappropriating public funds and filing false state income tax returns.