Parents concerned about Harbor View’s delay

Deirdre Newman

Some parents upset that Harbor View Elementary School will open a

week late have asked that the district move the entire student body

to another school site so they can start on the first day of school.

Parent Dennis Gordon presented the request at an informal meeting

of school district officials, construction representatives and

parents in the corner of Harbor View’s parking lot Wednesday

afternoon. The meeting was punctuated by the sounds of construction

equipment that prompted the meeting in the first place.

District officials announced Tuesday that Harbor View would start

Sept. 8 instead of Sept. 2 because of problems that only became

apparent during renovation. The construction is expected to finish

next week, but officials wanted to make sure teachers had enough time

to set up their classrooms.

While parents expressed frustration with the delay, they are also

concerned about the next two phases of construction, which will start

at the school once classes have begun.

“We are not willing to expose our children to the possibilities of

safety and security issues, or subject them to the dust, dirt, noise

and the tools, equipment and workers as the construction continues

while school is in session,” Gordon said.

District officials stressed that all seven schools now under

construction would remain so during the first few months of school

and that no other parents were asking for their kids to be moved to

another site.

Supt. Robert Barbot said he didn’t feel the situation at Harbor

View warranted moving students at this time.

“Is it perfect? No,” Barbot said. “But [moving] is not good for

the kids. I invite you to look at the data.”

Barbot suggested that a small group of parents work with Asst.

Supt. Susan Despenas to monitor the environment at the school as

construction unfolds.

Harbor View, ensconced in a residential Corona del Mar

neighborhood, is one of seven schools being renovated this year as

part of the Measure A modernization program.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the $110-million Measure A

construction bond in June 2000. The funds have been spread out and

applied to the neediest areas at the schools.

Construction on the first schools began in April, but the bulk of

the work could not be done until the students cleared out in June.

Once the renovation started at Harbor View, work crews discovered

termites, dry rot and higher quantities of asbestos and lead than had

been expected, and so construction has taken longer than expected.

At the meeting, representatives from McCarthy Building Co.

discussed a timeline that calls for the science lab and the computer

lab/library to be open by the end of September. The third and final

phase of construction is expected to end by Dec. 12, said Bonnie

Martin, a project director for McCarthy.

Gordon said if the district did not acquiesce to his request, he

would take it to the school board. Many other parents also adamantly

voiced their desire to have their children moved to another campus.

The district had two student bodies housed on the campus of

Lincoln Elementary School from the fall of 2000 to March of 2001,

during the construction of Newport Coast Elementary School.

Harbor View kindergarten teacher Michele Creason said she was

comfortable with the district’s plans.

“I feel good they delayed [the opening],” she said. “They won’t

open the school unless it’s safe.”

Some students also expressed satisfaction with the delay.

“It’ll be fun because we get an extra week of summer,” said Parker

Varner, 8, who is going into the third grade.

In response to parents’ concerns, district officials are

considering other days to make up for the four lost school days

instead of extending the school year a week.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa and may be reached at (949)

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