School board appoints new head of HR

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District board unanimously agreed Tuesday to hire a veteran Anaheim school administrator to head up its human resources department.

Russell Lee-Sung brings 26 years of experience as a teacher and administrator, and spent the past seven years as assistant superintendent of human resources in the Anaheim Union High School District. He previously served as a high school principal, assistant principal, and teacher with other districts. His first day with Newport-Mesa will be March 25.

Lee-Sung’s appointment comes with the title of associate superintendent, an annual salary of $225,000 plus benefits, a monthly car allowance of $650, and a $100 phone stipend, according to the employment agreement.

Supt. Fred Navarro said that Lee-Sung, a onetime music teacher, was known for his leadership at Alhambra High School and Walnut High School prior to joining the Anaheim district.

“I think we’re very fortunate,” Navarro said. “He comes highly recommended.”

The appointment fills a post that’s been vacant since the board fired the previous chief, John Caldecott, in late January.

Caldecott, a 10-year district employee, had called on the school board to investigate complaints he lodged against the superintendent. An action he filed in Orange County Superior Court to compel the district to comply with his request for public records is still pending.

The exact nature of the dust-up is unclear, but Caldecott last month alleged discrepancies in the way the district reports salaries to the state pension system, the Pilot has reported.

While he was still an employee, Caldecott asked that the district hire an external auditor to study the accuracy of Newport-Mesa’s reporting to the pension system for management employees, but was denied.