School Day

CORONA DEL MAR — Parents at a recent Corona Del Mar High School PTA meeting expressed concern that Newport-Mesa Unified schools will be open Jan. 2, a federal holiday. Addressing Supt. Jeffrey Hubbard at a meeting in the school library Wednesday, parents asked Hubbard whether their children should attend school. They were concerned teachers may see low attendance, play movies or use the day for a surprise quiz. Hubbard told parents the district plans the school calendar about three years in advance and that the holiday was an oversight.

Marisa O'Neil The state Board of Education on Thursday approved a request by the school district to waive a $750,000 penalty for not providing enough instructional time to Middle College High School students in the 2001-02 school year. To offset the 30 hours lost that year, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District agreed to add 1,800 instructional minutes this academic year and next. The additional time breaks down to roughly 10 minutes a day for the next two years.

Resembling a healthy-lifestyle march, the sidewalk leading to Eastbluff Elementary was flooded with kids and parents carrying signs Wednesday, forcing residents walking their dogs to make way. It was not the best day to be out for a leisurely walk. Eastbluff parents were a fraction of Newport-Mesa parents who passed on the morning traffic crawling to school parking lots and opted for old-fashioned travel: walking to school with their children. Participating in International Walk to School Day, teachers, parents and students districtwide made a symbolic stroll to school to encourage a healthful living and community unity.

Some parents at underachieving schools believe the school board's decision to give students more education time will help those who struggle — and could benefit their own children. The school board voted Tuesday to extend the school day, and year for students reading two or more grade levels below their own to help bring them up to grade-level proficiency. "I actually think it's a really good idea because I think the more help they can get the better," said Romelia Bellah, whose sixth-grade daughter attends Pomona Elementary School.

Starting the school day doesn't actually start when you zip up your backpack and head out the door. It begins the moment you wake up, from sleepily brushing your teeth to putting on your clothes. And through at least October, the Assistance League of Newport-Mesa has the district's low-income children covered for all parts of the school day. About 150 local families Saturday stopped by the league's office in Costa Mesa, where workers were offering free dental check ups and free pairs of pants, shirts, jackets, and undergarments.

Danette Goulet NEWPORT-MESA -- School and district officials are unmoved by reports that Gov. Gray Davis is willing to scale back his controversial plan to extend the middle school year. Shortening the plan's duration from six weeks, as originally proposed, to four weeks does not make adopting the voluntary program more attractive in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, said Mike Fine assistant superintendent of business services. When Gov. Gray Davis released the state budget proposal for 2001-2002 it included an ambitious plan to extend middle school students' school year by 30 days in an effort to give a boost to low test scores.

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District plans to hold a meeting Tuesday to present the final reports on three schools facing federal sanctions under the No Child Left Behind Act. Beginning at 6 p.m., the trustees will present and discuss the reports on Pomona Elementary School, Wilson Elementary School and TeWinkle Middle School, each of which is on year three of the federal Program Improvement list. A seven-member hearing panel, including Newport-Mesa teachers, parents, administrators and others, visited the schools last fall.

Deepa Bharath Police are still looking for the man who they say shot and killed a 20-year-old Santa Ana man on Saturday afternoon in a Westside alley. Ferdinand Eugenio Zamudio-Saucedo was hanging out with a few friends when he was shot in the chest after a brief argument with a passerby, police said. The alleged shooter took off on foot and neighbors called the police, officials said. On Monday, Costa Mesa police detectives were still questioning witnesses, Sgt. Loren Wyrick said.

INSIDE THE DISTRICT Here are some decisions coming out of Tuesday's Newport-Mesa Unified School District meeting. REVISION TO STUDENT CONDUCT POLICY The board considered changes to Policy 4210, which relates to general student conduct. WHAT IT MEANS This policy relates to suspension, expulsion, involuntary transfer to continuation school and exclusion. In a series of study sessions, the board has been reviewing the policy, which defines causes for student discipline.

I would like to commend the Newport-Mesa Unified school board, the Newport Beach City Council and library board of trustees in developing the proposal for a new Mariners library ("Mariners library supporters meet goal," Thursday). A great deal of time and effort has been given to addressing educational needs while satisfying children's safety concerns. It is encouraging to see this effective, working relationship exist between our elected and governing bodies.

Some parents at underachieving schools believe the school board's decision to give students more education time will help those who struggle — and could benefit their own children. The school board voted Tuesday to extend the school day, and year for students reading two or more grade levels below their own to help bring them up to grade-level proficiency. "I actually think it's a really good idea because I think the more help they can get the better," said Romelia Bellah, whose sixth-grade daughter attends Pomona Elementary School.

Several Costa Mesa schools will keep struggling students after school for two hours and over the summer for 20 days to help them catch up. The Newport-Mesa Unified school board trustees voted Tuesday to allocate $1.1 million for curriculum replacement, staff development, and an extended school day and year to help the 11 Program Improvement schools bring their students up to grade-level proficiency. "It's nice to see everyone adhering to a sense of urgency to get this done in time for summer," said Trustee Katrina Foley.

Why do some schools fail to continually meet academic expectations? And how do you break the pattern? The response, at least to the second question, was clear and simple during Tuesday's school board round table: time. There's not enough of it. "I've come to the conclusion that it really isn't rocket science," said Costa Mesa High School Principal Phil D'Agostino. "There are just some very simple things we need to do. " Principals of Newport-Mesa Unified's 11 Program Improvement schools focused on extending school days and years as they presented proposals to bring their students up to grade-level proficiency.

On Feb. 28, the school board held a study session to review options for improving performance at 11 Costa Mesa program improvement, or PI, schools. The study session reviewed data and included the presentation of four improvement options, each of which will require investments in dollars and time. The most important point of the afternoon was made by Trustee Karen Yelsey, who inquired as to the level of parental "buy-in" attached to these programs. I e-mailed her to give her an opportunity to elaborate.

With some parents still upset over school starting on a federal holiday, a school board trustee spoke with families Wednesday about what happened. At Corona del Mar High School and Middle School's PTA meeting, Trustee Karen Yelsey explained why students were in school Monday, a federal holiday. "It represents a bigger issue, because honestly it could have been changed," she said on the phone Wednesday. "The teacher's union could have agreed to the change. " The district, which plans its academic calendar three years in advance, discovered in 2010 that school was set to resume on a federal holiday, district spokeswoman Laura Boss wrote in an email to the Daily Pilot.

CORONA DEL MAR — Parents at a recent Corona Del Mar High School PTA meeting expressed concern that Newport-Mesa Unified schools will be open Jan. 2, a federal holiday. Addressing Supt. Jeffrey Hubbard at a meeting in the school library Wednesday, parents asked Hubbard whether their children should attend school. They were concerned teachers may see low attendance, play movies or use the day for a surprise quiz. Hubbard told parents the district plans the school calendar about three years in advance and that the holiday was an oversight.

My father was not a wealthy man. Not even close. But he now has something in common with Donald Bren, the billionaire chairman of the Irvine Co. A few days before my father passed away 10 years ago, he told me he wished he'd spent more time with his four boys. During Bren's testimony in the trial to determine whether he owed more money to two children born out of wedlock 18 and 22 years ago, Bren was asked by one of his lawyers whether he regretted not having spent more time with them.

Starting the school day doesn't actually start when you zip up your backpack and head out the door. It begins the moment you wake up, from sleepily brushing your teeth to putting on your clothes. And through at least October, the Assistance League of Newport-Mesa has the district's low-income children covered for all parts of the school day. About 150 local families Saturday stopped by the league's office in Costa Mesa, where workers were offering free dental check ups and free pairs of pants, shirts, jackets, and undergarments.

Sage Hill School’s cafeteria last week was shut down for a day, after county health inspectors found rodent droppings in a storage room and suspended the cafeteria’s health permit during an unannounced visit. The Newport Beach private school’s cafeteria was shut down midday Nov. 5 after lunch had been served, Head of School Gordon McNeill said. It reopened the next morning, when the school’s health permit was reinstated. “There was no disruption to food service,” McNeill said.

Newport Harbor High School students were given a new place on campus to sit and relax Wednesday, when the class of 1949 dedicated the planting of several new trees in what they have named the 49er Grove. About 37 members of the class of 1949 were on hand for the dedication, part of their 60th reunion. Some came from San Diego or Northern California; others traveled from Arizona to be with their classmates again. “We were the first class to come to Newport Harbor High School after World War II ended,” alumnus Don Knipp said.