Newport Heights teacher gets historic doctorate

Dave Hernandez, a first-year kindergarten teacher at Newport Heights Elementary School, became one of the first four recipients last weekend of a new Cal State Fullerton educational doctorate, which is awarded through a joint program of the University of California and California State University.

Hernandez, who taught in Whittier before moving to the Newport-Mesa Unified School District this year, got his degree in education administration and leadership Saturday at Cal State Fullerton. He worked on his dissertation for 2 1/2 years, focusing on ways that principals can prepare new teachers for their jobs.

“There’s a lot of stress nowadays,” said Hernandez, a Newport Beach resident. “With new teachers, there’s so much curriculum they have to know.”

— Michael Miller