District improvements provide hope for future

It may sound trite, but it nevertheless is true: The Newport-Mesa

Unified School District has come a long way in the last 10 years.

In late 1992, the district was reeling from the disclosure that

one of its most trusted employees, Stephen Wagner, had managed to

embezzle millions in district money. That his lavish lifestyle -- the

fur tuxedo and piece of art are now infamous -- raised no questions

seemed painful evidence that the district was being poorly managed

and poorly run.

No more. From Mac Bernd to Robert Barbot, the superintendents

since the Wagner case happened have worked successfully to regain the

public’s confidence. Employees such as former finance chief Mike Fine

and volunteers such as Mark Schultheis have enabled the community to

reconnect with its campuses.

The proof of the turnaround was made clear when voters gave their

stamp of approval -- and trust -- to the district by supporting

passage of Measure A two years ago. Handing the district $142 million

would have been inconceivable following Wagner’s stunning

embezzlement. By 2000, through hard work, through concerted effort

and with clear understanding that the community had to be engaged

with the district, all that had changed.

The 10-year anniversary last month of the Wagner case was another

reminder of this evolution. It also can serve as a sign of hope that

other challenges the district faces -- raising test scores, helping

English-language learners and fixing the schools with money from

Measure A -- will also be conquered.