Sorry, do the math; school is in session

Deepa Bharath

From the scent of fresh paint and the rustle of textbooks to brand

new courses and higher academic standards, students and teachers in

the Newport-Mesa Unified School District will see quite a few changes

on their respective campuses as they head back to school today,

officials said.

The cosmetic changes to their classrooms are usually what children

and parents first notice when they return to school, said Candy

Sperling, principal of Wilson Elementary School in Costa Mesa, which

was extensively refurbished over the summer with new paint, walls and

carpets.

“It’s amazing what fresh paint will do for you,” said an excited

Sperling. “The classrooms look so beautiful and fresh. It’s going to

be a great year.”

The school has also renumbered its classrooms and made changes in

class times, she said.

“Our kindergarteners will now be in school at lunch time,” she

said. “It’s nice because they learn to share and interact with

everyone else. Those are skills you start learning at a very young

age.”

For high school students, the changes will be more than cosmetic.

Estancia High School students will see stepped-up reading programs,

more special education classes and math-support classes for those who

need them, said principal Tom Antal.

“Earlier, we used to have an extra hour of math after school for

students who need the help,” he said. “Now we have incorporated that

time within school hours. These classes should help students cement

the concepts they learned in class.”

The quest for better test results also continues, Antal said.

Student achievement ebbed in a number of areas last year, said

Jaime Castellanos, district assistant superintendent for secondary

education.

“We need to work together as a group to help improve that,” he

said.

Also this year, the district is adding a new online course to two

established courses, Castellanos said.

“We’re looking at how we can become more flexible and accommodate

the needs of all students,” he said. “It’s also our goal to make

schools more family-friendly and make parents feel more welcome in

our schools.”

Estancia and Newport Harbor high schools will offer a new course

to guide students toward getting a college education. It will be

called College Shop in Estancia and Freshman Seminar in Newport

Harbor, said Barry Barowitz, director of secondary curriculum and

instruction for the school district.

“These courses are intended to guide students toward college and,

more importantly, give them academic support,” he said.

Estancia will have a new Earth Science class that will hopefully

help boost the students’ test scores, Antal said.

Several principals will be taking on new assignments today. Four

elementary schools -- Newport Heights, California, Whittier and

Newport -- will get new principals today, said Kenneth Killian,

former Newport Heights principal, who is now a consultant for the

school district.

Three of the principals -- Kelli Smith, Tracey Wegmann and Amy

Nagy -- come from outside the district, while Kurt Suhr has moved

from Rea to Newport Heights Elementary, Killian said.

There are many things new principals must get used to, he said.

“They need to get adjusted to the climate of the school,” Killian

said. “They also need to get familiar with the staff, instructional

programs and the PTAs. Those are some of the critical things.”

* DEEPA BHARATH is the enterprise and general assignment reporter.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at

deepa.bharath@latimes.com.