Trustees waver on Rea health center

Deirdre Newman

NEWPORT-Mesa -- The school board approved a health center at Rea

Elementary School Tuesday night and then decided to bring it back to

a full board in August.

With two board members absent, the board voted 4-1 to approve the center that would replace the Healthy Start program currently at the

Costa Mesa school. The center would serve 6- to 17-year-olds. The

center is a joint venture between Children’s Hospital of Orange

County, St. Joseph’s Hospital, UCI Medical Center and Hoag Hospital.

Doctors from Hoag would staff the center, said trustee Dana Black.

“We were real excited about having a real doctor for our children

so they’re not misdiagnosed, and for our [sports] teams,” Black said.

Six community members spoke out against the center.

After the vote, the board decided to bring the issue back when the

full board convenes in August.

The board also unanimously approved the district’s Master Plan for

English Language Learners, created by Karen Kendall, the former

Harbor View Elementary principal now working for the district.