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Author Fermin Leal

Fermin Leal

Fermin Leal serves as a communications specialist for Orange County Department of Education's Communications and Media Services Department where he works to highlight news and successful education initiatives at OCDE and at public schools across Orange County. Before joining OCDE, Fermin worked as an education journalist for 15 years, most recently at the nonprofit education news site EdSource. Prior to that, he worked for the Orange County Register. In this role, he wrote features and news articles about career and college readiness, the state’s implementation of the Common Core and Smarter Balanced exams and challenges facing students in higher education.

Deaf and hard of hearing student uses sign language to repeat music lyrics

Students at Deaf and Hard of Hearing program produce music video to inspire bravery

Fermin Leal
June 19, 2017
The theme for their music video was simple: Say what you want to say, and let the words fall out. I want to see you be brave. Students from OCDE's Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at University High and Vena... Read More
CA Schools app an a smartphone

Need test scores, enrollment figures for your public school? There’s an app for that

Fermin Leal
June 15, 2017
Parents, students and anyone else looking for an easy way to find test scores, student demographics figures and other information about their local schools can now find that data with a few quick taps on their ... Read More
About four dozen Laurel Magnet students pose for photo on the school's stage

Brea elementary students learn job skills from pros

Fermin Leal
June 8, 2017
Dozens of students from Laurel Magnet School in Brea teamed up with business and community service groups this school year. Students from Laurel Magnet School in Brea Olinda Unified spent part of their scho... Read More
Laguna Beach High School students

Laguna Beach smoking ban approved with support from student advocates

Fermin Leal
June 5, 2017
Smoking in any public place in the city of Laguna Beach will soon be illegal thanks in part to a group of Laguna Beach High School students. Jessica Berk, Makayla Klug, Curran Hendrickson and Catrin Williams... Read More
Students from Marine View hold up t-shirts with anti-bullying messages they created

Ocean View campus celebrated ‘Kindness Week’ by donating 350 T-shirts to shelter

Fermin Leal
May 30, 2017
Students at Marine View Middle School in the Ocean View School District held the campus’ first “Kindness Week” earlier this month with events that included decorating and donating more than 350 T-shirts for chi... Read More
Student working on a laptop computer

Video: Samueli Academy prepares for first graduating class

Fermin Leal
May 24, 2017
Samueli Academy will celebrate a milestone next month when close to 120 seniors will receive their diplomas as part of the public charter school’s first graduating class. The campus opened four years ago aft... Read More
Booths inside Chapman University gym display students' ocMaker Challenge projects

17 teams recognized in STEM-themed ocMaker Challenge

Fermin Leal
May 19, 2017
Seventeen teams from Orange County middle schools, high schools and community colleges won cash prizes of $100 to $350 as part of the ocMaker Challenge, a STEM-based design competition where students use 3D mod... Read More
Casa Youth Shelter FNL

Orange County Friday Night Live Partnership honors students, staff, community group

Fermin Leal
May 18, 2017
The Orange County Friday Night Live Partnership (OCFNLP) recognized a community group, two schools and a pair of school advisors for their efforts to engage young people in alcohol and drug prevention activitie... Read More
money in education jar

Gov. Brown’s latest budget proposal adds $1.4 billion for schools

Fermin Leal
May 11, 2017
California’s public K-12 schools and community colleges could receive $74.6 billion in state funding for the 2017-18 school year, $1.1 billion more than previously projected, under Gov. Jerry Brown’s latest bud... Read More
students in classroom testing

Khan Academy’s SAT prep helping students improve scores, study finds

Fermin Leal
May 11, 2017
Students participating in Khan Academy’s free SAT Practice program are more likely to earn higher scores when they take the actual college entrance exam, according to a new study. Khan Academy and the Colleg... Read More
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Credits

Orange County Department of Education
Al Mijares, Ph.D.
County Superintendent of Schools

Contact

Thanks for visiting the OCDE Newsroom. Questions and story suggestions should be sent to communications@ocde.us.

And if you’re a member of the media in need of information about the Orange County Department of Education, you can contact Communications Officer Ian Hanigan at ihanigan@ocde.us or 714-966-4008.

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academic competition academic decathlon acts of kindness Al Mijares career exploration college and career readiness education contest education in the news education news in the news kindness kindness1billion OCDE ocde weekly roundup one billion acts of kindness Orange County Department of Education project based learning STEM top stories Weekly Roundup