Smooth transition

Deirdre Newman

If the first day of school in the Newport-Mesa Unified School

District had gone any smoother, it could have been spread on a

week-old bagel.

“Smooth” was the most popular word used to describe the organized

chaos that saw a massive influx of students infiltrating school

campuses on Tuesday morning.

“It’s the smoothest opening we’ve had in a long time,” said

Michael Vossen, principal of Newport Harbor High School in Newport

Beach.

Newport Harbor had 2,152 students on campus Tuesday, said Supt.

Robert Barbot. About 25 more students who missed the first day of

school for various reasons are expected to show up tomorrow, Barbot

said. The maximum occupancy for the school is about 2,700, he said.

Student attendance will be closely monitored by the district in the

next few days so more teachers can be assigned, if necessary.

Barbot said the opening attendance figure for the district --

about 23,000 students -- is right on target.

“We could still have 15 to 100 more kids register,” Barbot said.

“But right now, it looks pretty good.”

Students at Newport Harbor spent the day switching classes, taking

placement tests and standing in line for lunch.

“There are so many people here,” said Sara Lyons, as she waited

outside the cafeteria chatting with friends. “I’m a senior and there

are so many freshmen. I’ve never seen lines this long.”

Some students lamented the switch from first-come, first-serve

locker selection to assigned lockers.

Vossen said the change was to comply with state law for security

purposes.

“We need to make sure we know who belongs to what locker,” Vossen

said.

Over at Victoria Elementary School in Costa Mesa, principal Judy

Laakso celebrated the efficiency of the day as well.

“It’s very smooth and it’s fun to see all the families again after

the summer,” Laakso said.

Victoria, which serves grades K-5, still has a little breathing

room, Laakso said.

Victoria students got a surprise when they came to school Tuesday:

brand-new playground equipment provided by an anonymous donor.

For fourth-grade teacher Julie Clayton, the first day of school

was especially sweet since she just returned from a two-year leave to

take care of her own children.

“It’s sort of like coming back home,” Clayton said. “I think we

have something special here.”

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.