More Newport-Mesa schools going digital

Danette Goulet

NEWPORT-MESA -- They are the last two high schools in the district to be

certified as digital schools, but at least they are almost there.

The school board Tuesday certified that Newport Harbor High School and

Corona del Mar High School both qualify for state funding to become

digital schools.

The grant provides $300 per student to provide Internet access and

advanced technology to schools. The funding will be matched by the

district through past or future improvements, said Mike Fine, assistant

superintendent of finances.

The certification is a stipulation in the grant, which requires all

teachers be in favor of becoming digital schools.

With the board’s endorsement, school leaders will now write and send

their respective grant applications to the state for final approval.

Those applications may be returned for fine-tuning of the school’s plan

for improved technology, Fine said, but there is no doubt they will get

the money.

“We’re writing our grant as we speak,” said Corona del Mar Principal Don

Martin. “We’ve been interviewing the staff, looking at other programs,

looking at where we want to go in terms of technology on campus.”

Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board of Education president Serene

Stokes said the district has been committed to supporting its high

schools’ involvement since the digital schools project began.

When the commitment was made to becoming technologically advanced,

district leaders conducted a lottery to determine the order in which

schools would apply for the grant.

Estancia, Back Bay and Costa Mesa high school have all had their chances,

and now the final two high schools are on their way.

If all goes smoothly, the schools can expect to receive the grant money

in late spring or early summer, Fine said.