Village Laguna endorses board candidates

Along with council candidates Toni Iseman and Melissa O’Neal,

Village Laguna endorsed Laguna Beach School Board candidates Kathryn

Turner and Betsy Jenkins.

School board incumbent Turner is seeking her third term.

“The first time I ran, I was in a position of blissful ignorance,”

Turner said. “That blissful ignorance lasted 12 hours. I was sworn in

on a Tuesday. The county went bankrupt the next morning.”

Keeping the district’s head above the financial waters was, of

necessity, the top priority.

“Now we are focused on the right things, on education,” Tuner

said.

Turner has degrees in nursing, education and law. Candidate

Jenkins’ face was a familiar one to the audience. She and her

husband, Gary, have belonged to Village Laguna since 1981. She ran

the Charm House Tour for years and currently sits on the scholarship

committee.

She has been a volunteer in the school district, serving in every

capacity from room mother, to PTA Council president. She is a member

of the Citizen’s Oversight Committee for the construction of

facilities.

“I would bring a new voice and an insider’s knowledge to the

board,” Jenkins said.

Incumbent Whalen has served on the board for five years, starting

as an appointee.

“During those five years, the district has made a remarkable

turn-around,” Whalen representative El Hathaway said. “We have built

the cash reserve from nearly zero to about $6 million, as of June.”

Whalen’s first term focused on the renovation of facilities and he

was a leader in the bond issues, according to Hathaway.

“If it weren’t for Bob, we wouldn’t have gotten that 81% vote,”

Hathaway said.

Candidate Wilson, who has been a resident of Laguna for three

years, said the district has no villains and regardless of who wins

the election, the voters can’t lose. He holds a bachelor’s degree in

art education, a master’s degree in social science and a doctorate in

education.

Wilson is partially retired, but keeps his hand in by teaching

part time at Chapman College and Pepperdine University.

-- Barbara Diamond

Students may be denied transfers

Students who plan to attend charter schools outside the Laguna

Beach Unified School District next year may find their request

denied.

At its meeting Tuesday night, the board of education approved a

motion that approved the requests of six students to attend the

Orange County High School of the Arts with the caveat that they may

not receive an automatic approval next year due to a pending

California Senate bill. If approved, the bill in question will direct

school districts to pay their basic aide per ADA property tax

calculation to charter schools for each resident student who attends

that school.

The bill will require a phase-in payment of 30% for 2003-04, 50%

in 2003-04 and 70% for 2004-05 with a cap at 70%. The estimated cost

to the district would be $23,282 for this school year.

“This is a drain on our resources and the quality of our

performing arts program,” said Supt. Theresa Daem.

Jan Vickers wanted to know more about the Orange County High

School of the Arts program and prior to the vote, urged not allow

transfers if the bill passes.

“I feel so strongly about our schools that I can’t imagine a

family who pays property tax here but elects to send a child to

another school,” said board member El Hathaway.

He brought up the question of finding ways to increase the

existing performing arts program by partnering with local

organizations such as the Laguna College of Art and Design and the

Plein Air Painters.

A total of 11 students have been approved to attend the Orange

County High School of the Arts this year. They will be notified of

the board’s decision.

-- Mary A. Castillo

El Morro not quite ready for play or parking

Board members heard some good and bad news about construction at

Laguna schools during a special public hearing.

While Top of World is going smoothly, Thurston and El Morro are a

bit behind schedule. El Morro students will have to find

alternative-playing areas and parents will have to find a new place

to park for a while.

“The demolition and earthwork at Top of the World is complete,”

said Raufi, construction manager with McCarthy Builders. The clean-up

work will be finished today, leaving the parking lot ready for

parents to drop off and pick up children by the first day of school.

However, the situation at Thurston and El Morro is slightly

different.

“We ran into a problem with soil because it was unsuitable for

backfill under the [new] gym,” Andrew explained about Thurston. “We

planned to go down seven feet but had to go down 17.”

He expects crews will have it packed down by the end of this week

and work on utilities are expected to be completed by Sept. 13.

The Phase I landscaping at El Morro is complete. But a damaged gas

line delayed landscaping for the play areas by four weeks.

Andrew expects students will be able to play on it after Sept. 13.

“We will convert portions of the fire road into play areas on the

existing hardscape,” said Carl Neuhausen.

In the mean time students won’t be locked up in classrooms.

“We’re working to keep the library and computer rooms open,” said

Principal Joanne Culverhouse.

There will be a drop-off area in the school driveway for parents,

but there is absolutely no parking on the school site. For parents

who want to accompany their children to classrooms, parking will be

available at the state park adjacent to the school grounds. A shuttle

to the campus will be provided. Culverhouse also encourages parents

to consider using the bus service.

The damaged gas line at El Morro added $24,000 to the project and

the additional landscape and play equipment added $17,000.

“We’re ready for it,” Culverhouse assured.

School for grades 1-5 will begin at 8 a.m. on Sept. 5.

Kindergarten classes will begin at 8 a.m. Sept. 9 for the early start

and at 10 a.m. for late start. Information: 497-7780.

-- Mary A. Castillo