“I wanted to move to the Bay Area or LA after I graduated. I thought the bigcity experience would be good after growing up in Orland.” But lo-and-behold, after getting his teaching credential, an English job opened up at his alma mater. He interviewed and beat out five other candidates, and there he was, back at OHS. “After I taught a bit at Orland, I began to see how staying in the North Valley was actually a good thing,” said Mercado. “This was my hometown and my school. I knew I could make a difference here, and it made me feel a sense of accomplishment.” He went on to say how he thought about making this a forever job and serving his community. Like Perry, he earned an admin credential, and the timing was great—the assistant principal job opened up when Perry became the principal. Mercado was chosen and served in the topsy-turvy world of the pandemic.
on an admin credential, the assistant principal job opened up, and he was hired for the position. After a few years as the AP, the principalship of OHS became available, and, as timing would again dictate, he interviewed and won the job. “I felt, as a local Orland guy, I could support the staff and the parents,” he said. “We need to form a partnership of students, teachers, parents, and administrators in order to better serve our schools.” To further that goal, Perry became the Assistant Superintendent of OUSD, and as our old friend's timing came into play, the superintendent resigned and Perry became the new superintendent. He’s a great fit: a local kid who knows the community, is dedicated to the job, and who wants to stay for years to come. “Some people have used Orland as a stepping stone to bigger districts,” he said. “I get that, but I want to be here for the long haul.” When asked about misconceptions people might have about his job, Perry replied, “We don’t have nearly as much power as people think. We can’t just make any changes we like. A principal and the superintendent answer to the school board, and the board answers to the county, who answers to the State. That’s the way it is.” 52
U P G R A D E D L I V I N G M AG A Z I N E D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1
Born in Mexico, Alejandro Mercado immigrated to the United States at a young age. He grew up in Orland and attended local schools until he graduated from Orland High School. At OHS Alex earned excellent grades and played on the soccer team as a goalkeeper for four years. After graduation, he attended Chico State and earned a B.A. in English and then a teaching credential. He did his student teaching at Hamilton City High School and was hired by Orland Unified in 2014. While teaching at OHS he attended classes in the administrative program at Chico State and eventually became the assistant principal at Orland High in 2019. A year later, he found himself at the helm of Orland High as the principal. It has been a quick and challenging transition. Like Victor Perry, Alex Mercado had role models growing up in Orland as well. “I saw teachers like Jason Bragg and Steve Morgan up in front of class having fun while they taught,” he said. “I thought back then that they were lucky to have a job they obviously enjoyed,” he added. When he went to Chico State as an English major, it seemed that teaching just fell right in place, but as a young man he felt staying in Orland wasn’t in the cards.
“I never saw teaching as work. I loved every minute in the classroom, but I still thought I could give back more and be a big part of the educational system in Orland.” Part of that would be taking on the AP role by taking the next step into administration. As timing—or perhaps fate—would dictate, when Perry moved to the district office, the principal’s job at OHS became vacant. According to Mercado, although he knew his limited experience might be an issue, he felt he had to apply for the opening. And here he is, along with hometown kid Victor Perry, tackling tough issues in an often contentious environment. “It’s definitely a trial by fire,” said Mercado, “but I’ve been given great support from many community members and teachers. This is a great job and a great opportunity. We will get through this and be better for it.” These days, it’s not often we see a story like this—two local kids growing up and taking the reins of the high school and school district, who know they want to be in it for the long haul. We think it’s exactly what our communities need.
