Learners

Marisa O'Neil Less than one week after a popular Westside after-school program closed, Newport-Mesa Unified School District will be opening its own at Wilson Elementary School. News that the Wilson Street THINK Together center would close came a couple weeks ago, leaving its 60 students without a place for after-school activities. Realizing the need for such a program in that area, the district allocated funds from an existing federal grant to open a new, larger program on Monday.

On Friday night, Corona del Mar High's Shelby Buckley will take her mark on the track and as she puts opposing runners behind her, she will do the same to the memories of her freshman track season. Qualifying for the CIF Southern Section Master's Meet is a couple of steps further than Buckley traveled last year. She did so in the 3,200 meters with a second-place finish in the Division III finals. Buckley narrowly missed qualifying in the 1,600 and as part of the Sea Kings' 4x400 relay, despite a season-best time in the latter.

Statewide test results show Newport-Mesa students improving and scoring better than state average.English-learner students in Newport-Mesa Unified School District mastered the language more often than their average peers around the state this year, according to standardized test results released Wednesday. On the California English Language Development Test, which nearly all English-learners around the state took in September and October, 49% of the 5,050 Newport-Mesa students who took the test scored as either "advanced" or "early advanced," the two highest marks on the exam.

It is natural for students to gripe about the chore of going to school. But for some students fluent in English and stuck in an English-language learner (ELL) program, school can be not only pure drudgery, but also may be a place where they feel left behind. Those were the findings of a legislative hearing we conducted recently in Santa Ana. School board members, administrators, teachers, researchers, parents and former ELL students gathered to finds ways for well-intentioned ELL programs to better recognize when students are ready to pick up the pace and join their fluent friends in mainstream courses.

Barry Faulkner Just six track meets into her high school sprinting career, Newport Harbor High freshman Amy Burlingham doesn't know much about the string of postseason meets beyond league finals. She is also a novice when it comes to starting blocks, race strategy and which rivals comprise her prime competition. But while Newport Harbor Coach Eric Tweit believes Burlingham will eventually become familiar with all that, he knows his fleet tenderfoot has plenty of something he can't teach.

During a track and field meet about four months ago, an argument ensued at the check-in table for the shot-put event. There was Jaycee Olsen, a Corona del Mar High senior, not budging from her stance. She wanted to compete. But the person at the table did not think Olsen looked like a thrower. The person clarified the area was for throwers, and sprinters checked in at a different table. Olsen didn’t back down. She wanted to throw. The person reiterated. Olsen, once again, said she was there to compete in the shot put. “It’s really cool because I ended up winning,” Olsen said.

Parents of students who are learning English - some of whom are also learning the language themselves - said having a superintendent who speaks their language and treats all communities the same are two very important aspects. During Thursday's community input meeting, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District's English Learners Advisory Committee (DELAC) gave its two cents on the district's strengths and weaknesses, and what they want in a new superintendent. "We're looking for the new superintendent to have the same interest in this group," said DELAC co-Chairwoman Maricela Lopez.

Deirdre Newman COSTA MESA -- With the recent release of the high school exit exam results, Estancia High School has the dubious distinction of scoring lowest in the district. Principal Tom Antal attributes the low scores to a high percentage of second-language learners -- more than half the students are not native English speakers. Antal said the school is taking active measures to increase both math aptitude and literacy. Last year's freshmen were the first group that will have to pass the exit exams to be able to graduate.

43, Costa Mesa ... President of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District's English Language Advisory Committee ... Still involved in Measure A oversight committee for about 10 hours a week ... Has owned El Chinaco restaurant for 15 years ... Is chairwoman for Human Relations Committee for the city of Costa Mesa ... In past year, working with the schools, is proud of doing better with English language learners, especially at...