Ms. Katie Mitchell-Berger became the new principal for MacArthur Fundamental Intermediate following former Principal Mr. David Casper’s promotion to Segerstrom High School.  Her first day here was on November 5. Berger applied and went through a pair of interviews with MacArthur teachers and staff members, followed by an interview with the Santa Ana Unified School District cabinet, to become MacArthur’s principal.

This is Berger’s first time being a principal.  She was an assistant principal at Santa Ana High School for the past five years, and she also served as assistant principal at Sierra Preparatory Academy for two years prior to SAHS.  Berger has 29 years of experience as a Santa Ana educator, having also been a teacher and a curriculum specialist.

As a language arts curriculum specialist, Berger oversaw the annual District Writing Assessment, as well as helped transition SAUSD into the Common Core Standards.  

For fundamental experience, Berger had been a teacher at Segerstrom High School when it opened.  Segerstrom uses the fundamental philosophy of rigorous academic standards that MacArthur has helped to establish.  Before Segerstrom, Berger worked at Valley High School for 17 years.

Berger’s goals for MacArthur is to keep it “being the great and amazing school it is.”  She also wants to maintain the institutional expectations of spirit, pride, and achievement.

Seventh-grader Melvin Carrera said, “She will be a good and supportive principal and create new or better rules.”

According to Language Arts Teacher Mrs. Ranithi Garcia, the changes she wants to see in the school is “the emphasis on the good that happens in the school while still being firm when it comes to discipline.”  Garcia hopes that Berger will take students and teachers needs into consideration when making decisions to benefit MacArthur.

MacArthur was Berger’s only target in becoming principal since this was a midyear change.  Once the opening was announced, Berger applied and went through the two interviews.

What Berger likes about working in Santa Ana school district is the students, teachers, and staff.  Before her career in education, Berger worked at Simply Yogurt.