Magnet

The vast majority of parents who have kids in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District would be interested in having a magnet school in Costa Mesa, according to survey results presented to the School Board on Tuesday. Of a sample of more than 400 area parents, 93% expressed at least some interest in developing a magnet school on the campus of Davis Elementary School. Costa Mesa doesn’t have a magnet school for elementary school students. Magnet schools are designed to give kids an early chance to focus on a particular subject matter in-depth, such as music or technology.

Newport-Mesa Unified School District board members have talked about a magnet school at Davis Elementary for months, hearing results of phone surveys, holding study sessions and, most recently, four focus groups for community members. But a decision on what kind of school will replace Davis Elementary next year won’t be decided until January, staff and officials said at a study session Tuesday. When that happens, district staff will release to the public roughly three options that meet community interest in either a science and technology magnet or a visual and performing arts magnet, Supt.

The new math- and science-focused magnet school that will take the place of the fourth-through-sixth-grade Davis Elementary in Costa Mesa is a hot ticket among Newport Beach and Costa Mesa parents, with moms and dads from every elementary school in the district trying to get their kids in the door. Although enrollment just opened for this fall’s inaugural class, about 700 parents have called or e-mailed the school requesting that their children be admitted. In its present form, the school serves 365 students.

Those interested in enrolling their children in a planned math and science magnet school at Davis Elementary next year now have a date for enrollment and a phone number to call. Enrollment for the future kindergarten through sixth-grade magnet school begins March 1, but interested parents can call Barbara Haack at (714) 424-8959 immediately to be added to a list to receive notice about appointments to register. Parents should not go to the Davis campus to enroll their children, according to a news release from the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

Residents who showed up at four focus groups have weighed in with their thoughts on a magnet school at the closing Davis Elementary. But on the central question — focus on the arts, or on math and science — the answer appeared to be “Both!” A report released on results from the focus groups, held over the last couple of weeks, shows enthusiasm for both kinds of magnet schools. That’s an issue Newport-Mesa Unified School District board members will have to sort out now. “They want it all,” said board President Martha Fluor, who attended three of the four meetings.

Newport-Mesa kids need a bridge to the 21st century. That’s the message Newport-Mesa school board members said they were sending when they voted Tuesday for a new science, math and technology magnet to take the place of Davis Elementary in the fall. “In the 21st century, what are we doing to teach our kids so that they will compete?” asked board member Karen Yelsey. “The U.S. is missing from the list of the top 10 science and math countries. It’s confirmed that we lagged behind many other industrial countries.

Starting new schools is certainly not a new thing for Principal Kevin Rafferty, who will be heading up the science- and technology-focused magnet school that will be taking the place of Davis Elementary School. Rafferty was the founding principal of his two prior schools, Oak Grove Elementary School and Chaparral Elementary School in Ladera Ranch, where he works now. His search for a mascot and a logo for Chaparral illuminates a couple of striking aspects of his personality and management style.

Marisa O'Neil You could call the fourth-graders in Karin Selby's class at Eastbluff Elementary School little MacGyvers, except they're probably too young to remember that TV show. But give them a battery, some wire, a rivet and a switch, and they'll put it all together to make an electromagnet. Each student at the school in Corona del Mar has been diligently keeping a science notebook detailing all the class' experiments, including lessons on magnets and electricity.

"I've learned what series and parallel circuits are. Parallel are a few put together, and series are one big circuit." LILLIAN RAUCH, 9 "You can make a temporary magnet if you get wire and wrap it around a rivet with electricity." ZOE PARIS, 9 "I hate science. There's too many wires." TANNER QUON, 9 "I learned how to write a paper about science." SARA PORTNER, 9 "I learned the scientific terms like 'experiment,' 'hypotheses,' and 'conclusion.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District is exploring the idea of creating two flagship programs where students can focus on a specific interest, such as art or technology, in each high school zone, starting with Estancia. The district is asking for the community's opinions on creating signature academic and arts programs at each of the eight schools in the Estancia zone. The district will also hold bilingual community input meetings in the Costa Mesa, Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar zones.

The voting booths in the school auditorium were packed during the lunchtime rush, but voters got in and out fast. With ballots turned in, "I voted" stickers in place and their democratic responsibilities complete, it was time for recess. "I feel like I am actually voting because they are doing the actual elections," said fifth-grader Asaph Sendrey, 10. FOR THE RECORD: An earlier version of this story had the wrong last name for Asaph Sendrey. Davis Magnet School's fourth-through sixth-grade students participated in their own election Tuesday as candidates ran for six student council positions.

Costa Mesa's only magnet school came together Wednesday morning to celebrate its founding principal on his last day of work. Davis Magnet School Principal Kevin Rafferty was honored for bringing Newport-Mesa Unified School District's science, math and technology-focused school to fruition and creating an environment of successful learning. The efforts helped boost the school's performance on standardized tests, the Academic Performance Index, by more than 200 points. API scores jumped 136 points the first year and climbed another 25 points the second and 43 points in the third.

Davis Magnet School's first principal is retiring after three years Wednesday. Kevin Rafferty oversaw the creation of the district's first magnet school, which focused on math and science; created traditions that bring the school community together; and helped the school's Academic Performance Index (API) scores rise more than 200 points. "Leaving Davis Magnet School, being here since its opening in September 2009, and helping [Davis] grow and mature into our phenomenal, professional learning community, is a lot like giving up one of my own children," Rafferty said in an Oct. 12 farewell email.

Davis Magnet School emphasizes environmentalism with Eco-Education Nights, "Waste-Free Wednesdays" and an ecology center. Now it's been chosen for a green-classroom experiment. The Orange County U.S. Green Building Council selected the Costa Mesa K-6 campus to receive a free "greenovation" of one of its classrooms in order to collect data on the financial impact of going green. The council hopes to reaffirm anecdotal evidence that an environmentally friendly classroom is healthier and cost-effective.

In an effort to pull up Paularino Elementary School's test scores, campus officials want to look at becoming the district's second magnet school. In her proposal to bring the K-6 Costa Mesa campus out of Program Improvement, Interim Principal Bonnie Swann said Paularino wants to become an arts magnet and already has several teachers who are strongly dedicated to the arts. "I think it's wonderful that they're the first school that got out of the box and came in with something different than [Response to Intervention]

With a fishing pole in hand and the remains of a "compost cupcake" on her face, 5-year-old Avalon Freyder dipped her line into the pseudo pool of mini rubber ducks and trivia questions for a game intended to teach children about the environment. For the kindergartner, she said taking care of the planet is important "because you don't want to get the Earth dirty. " Protecting the environment was the subject of Davis Magnet School's first Eco-Education Night on Thursday meant to "bring our community together and raise awareness of the eco-education that is going on at Davis," said Lisa Manfredi, the Parent Teacher Assn.'s Green Team and Learning Garden chairwoman.

For ideas on how to live green, residents need look no farther than Davis Magnet School. The Costa Mesa K-6 campus is hosting its first Eco-Education Night from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday in the multipurpose room, 1050 Arlington Drive. The event will feature a talk by Evan Marks, founder and director of The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano; a reading by author Derek Sabori of his book "Lu and the Earth Bug Crew"; and presentations by the schools' EcoScholars and Green Team.

COSTA MESA - Some call her the plant lady. She calls herself the Davis Gardner. JoAnn Copp, a 68-year-old retired teacher, who sports a blue streak in the front of her white-blond hair and nine hoop earrings on her left ear, never stopped working at Davis Magnet School. She just happened to trade in her dry-erase markers and red pens for a garden hose and shears. "This is my passion," said Copp, a former special education teacher and longtime Costa Mesa resident. "I love being here at school and I love my plants.

COSTA MESA — Davis Magnet School celebrated its recognition from the city for its learning garden by inviting students and parents to an event Friday morning at the Flag Deck. The K-6 math, technology and science magnet school was recognized by the Costa Mesa Planning Commission with a Mesa Green Design Award on April 11 — as were several local businesses — for successfully implementing green projects and practices. Planning Commissioner Jim Fitzpatrick presented the awards to Principal Kevin Rafferty, kindergarten teacher James Christman and "eco-mom" Lisa Manfredi, who were instrumental in getting the community garden up and running.