EDUCATION Newport-Mesa may lose $1.5 million...
EDUCATION
Newport-Mesa may lose $1.5 million from state
School district officials are bracing for an about $1.5-million
loss if the state Legislature adopts Gov. Gray Davis’ budget proposal
for 2003-04. The proposal is in response to a state deficit of about
$34 billion. The plan calls for giving school districts more leeway
in deciding which programs to continue funding and which to
discontinue. The plan also suggests taking a large chunk of the
excess property tax the district receives. The legislature won’t make
its final decision until June.
Orange Coast College, meanwhile, expects a $6-million reduction
and decided this week to redirect swap meet revenue it receives from
community education to for-credit courses. The OCC Swap Meet will
generate about $500,000 in 2003 that can fund about 150 classes for
3,500 students, college spokesman Jim Carnett said. That swap meet
revenue, however, has traditionally funded the school’s professional
arts series that has brought performers such as Debbie Reynolds to
the campus. The money also paid for community education that included
noncredit courses and the lecture series. The college has already
made $2.8 million in mid-year budget cuts to cover its state budget
losses.
Engineers have deemed two Newport Harbor High School buildings
unacceptable risks in a major earthquake. Robins Hall and Loats
Theater, which are connected, house an auditorium, 15 classrooms, all
of the administrative offices, the library and food services.
District officials are working on a transition plan to move students
out of the building over the summer to create the least amount of
disruption. Officials aren’t concerned about the situation in the
interim -- this semester. The announcement came Thursday, the day
before the nine-year anniversary of the Northridge earthquake and
eight-year anniversary of the Kobe, Japan, earthquake.
Newport-Mesa Unified school board members are looking into ways to
bring their meetings into the living rooms of Newport Beach residents
quicker. Currently, resident wait 11 day to watch the televised
proceedings because the trustees meet at the same time -- the second
and fourth Tuesdays of each month -- as the Newport Beach City
Council. To resolve the delay, school district officials are asking
Adelphia Systems and Cox Communications to help them gain a dedicated
public access channel for their meetings.
Vanguard University students spent 24 hours praying Thursday as
part of the college’s first-ever Day of Prayer. About 200 students
partook in the daylong event to kick off the beginning of the new
semester. University officials said they dedicated the 24 hours to
the festivities to unite as a body and worship God’s wisdom. The day
started with chapel and students, faculty and staff followed that up
by walking around the perimeter of the school. Students were also
signed up for prayer times arranged in 5-, 10-, 15- and 30-minute
intervals.
OCC dance and cheer teams have something to shout about. The two
teams captured national titles this month at the Universal
Cheerleaders Assn. National Championships at Walt Disney World in
Orlando.
* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers education. Reach her at (949) 574-4221 or
by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.
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