Former OUSD Superintendent Donald Ingwersom dies
Former Orange Unified School District Superintendent Donald Ingwerson died on November 4, 2018. A Laguna Beach resident, the 85 year old was originally from Pawnee City, Nebraska.
Ingwerson served as OUSD Superintendent in the late 1970's to early 1980's. In 1981, Ingwerson left to become Superintendent of the beleaguered Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky.
| Ingwenson appears on national television |
In 1994 amid news local accounts of Jefferson County school system's wide achievement gap and disproportionate suspension rates between black and white students, plus news reports the Superintendent had hired Jefferson school employees to help fix and flip five old houses and Ingwerson announce his resignation.
In September of 1994, Ingwerson, in a 3-2 vote, Ingwerson was appointed as the Los Angeles County Superintendent of Education.
In 1996, Ingwerson was awarded the Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize (often just called the "McGraw Prize"). The $25,000 cash prize awarded annually by the McGraw-Hill Publishing. The prize recognized his work in first expanding educational technology during the early internet years. His administration built an education technology program across L.A. County and supported computer training for teachers.
At the end of his contract in 1997, Superintendent Ingwerson retired from education.
His published obituary includes:
Dr. Ingwerson was a 25-year resident of Laguna Beach, first living in the Mystic Hills neighborhood where his home survived the 1993 Laguna Canyon fire and was featured on a CNN news report at the time, and for the past 21 years at Thousand Steps Beach.
He is survived by his wife, Lona Ingwerson, who is a Christian Science practitioner; his daughters Tanya Thomas (Mark), of Laguna Beach, who is general manager of Fashion Island, and Heidi Thompson (Justin) of Manhattan Beach who is owner of a boutique recruiting firm; his son, Marshall Ingwerson (Clara) of St. Louis, who was editor-in-chief of The Christian Science Monitor and now is chief executive of The Principia, a nonprofit that runs a Christian Science day and boarding school and a liberal arts college; six grandchildren, including two who attended Laguna Beach schools – Margaux Thomas Currie (Thomas) and Marshall Thomas; and a great-granddaughter.
Orange Bicentennial Commission photo (Photo by Phil Brigandi)
"This marker erected by the Association of California School Administrators, Orange Chapter, and the Orange Unified School District, March 26, 1976."
[photo caption]
Located a short distance southwest of its original location near the entrance to the Chapman University Law School, at 370 S. Glassell Street
Florence Smiley, who attended classes on this site in the 1890s, unveils the plaque, March 26, 1976. Assisting are Orange Unified School District Trustee Ruth Evans, OUSD Superintendent Donald Ingwerson, and Maxine Schenck of the Association of California School Administrators.
