School district to review health benefits

Jessica Garrison

NEWPORT-MESA -- School board members voted Tuesday to embark upon a

comprehensive review of the district’s health and welfare benefits for

its employees.

As part of their review, board members voted to pay a consultant to

study various medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance

plans to try to improve the options available to Newport-Mesa’s

employees.

Linda Mook, president of the district’s teachers’ union, hailed the

board’s decision.

“Insurance is a major concern for teachers,” Mook said. She added that

most teachers were satisfied with the health care they have, but want to

make sure it continues to be of the highest possible quality.

The review should be completed by November, and employees would then

have the opportunity to enroll in any new plans that were offered.

In other news:

* Some parents at Kaiser Elementary School and Kaiser Primary Center

want to change the name of one of the two schools, saying it is confusing

to have two different schools with the same name. Board member Martha

Fluor asked Supt. Robert Barbot to inform her and the community about how

a school can change its name.

* Board President Serene Stokes urged PTA members and board members to

seek all funding sources when trying to raise money for schools. Stokes

noted that she had met with representatives from local political groups

who said they would love to donate to schools, but had not been asked for

money.

* Board member Dave Brooks urged parents and community members to get

involved in schools, and suggested several ways people can make positive

contributions to schools. Volunteering in libraries, joining PTAs and

spending time in classrooms were among them.