John Muir Principal Sheryl Orange Steps Down

John Muir High School Principal Sheryl Orange said in a March 27 letter addressed to the “Muir family” she has decided to step down as principal at the end of this school year.

Orange gave no reason for her decision.

In the letter, she thanks the Muir family for their “love and support” and says she would not have decided to step down if she had not gotten assurance from the Pasadena Unified School District leadership and the board of education that Muir Reinvention programs are to continue.

Read the Letter

Lea la Carta en Español

Earlier this month, a news report said that PUSD leadership had asked Orange to resign her post as principal effective at the end of the year. At that time Adam Wolfson, Communications Director for the Pasadena Unified School District,  would not comment on the report.

Asked if Orange’s position as principal had already been posted on the Ed Join educational job website, Wolfson said that a number of teaching and administrative positions remain at the website because they are “generic” positions and do not reflect on a particular person.

Previously, Orange worked to implement new dress codes and said she believed that students should be accountable for their behavior. However, in April, 2011, fighting between Latino and black students led to a district investigation into racial tensions on the campus.

Problems continued this school year when Muir football coach Ken Howard was accused of assaulting a student during a bag search. Then in January, 2012 the boys’ basketball team had to default on all it wins due to participation of a student who was deemed ineligible to play.

Despite numerous calls to Muir High School at that time, Orange could not be reached for comment.

Orange has been principal at John Muir High School since 2008. She was responsible for overseeing a reinvention plan that has given birth to career-focused academies within the school.

Under Orange’s administration, John Muir High School has increased student attendance to 94%, all the while reducing overall dropout rates by 25%.  The number of students completing UC and CSU admittance requirements also increased by 27% and campus exit exam passage rates increased by 23%.  The school’s Academic Performance Index increased from 603 in 2009 to 650 in 2011 under Orange’s administration.

In 2010, Orange was recognized as the Administrator of the Year.