ON THE AGENDA Here are some of...

ON THE AGENDA

Here are some of the items the Newport-Mesa Unified School

District board of trustees will be discussing tonight.

STRATEGIC PLAN

The board of trustees will vote on the final draft of the

district’s strategic plan, which charts the course for the next five

years and provides a base for its budget.

The plans include a redesign of the high school system, the

implementation of a hands-on, inquiry-based science program, the

creation of a teacher training center and demonstration school, and

the construction of a magnet arts school to enhance visual and

performing arts participation.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Trustees began the process with study sessions in April and later

recorded districtwide concerns from students, parents and faculty

through “teen hall meetings” in the summer.

They approved the first reading of the Strategic Plan at the Nov.

9 board meeting, with a 6-1 vote. They will likely approve this one.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Principals from all 32 district schools met with district

administrators last week to discuss their needs and goals for the

school year.

The trustees raised concerns about the failure of several schools

-- specifically Pomona and Whittier elementary schools and Estancia

High School -- to meet state standards. They also felt the language

barrier in Costa Mesa was an obvious concern that should be improved

with more English Language Learner programs.

The board praised the principals’ commitments to improving reading

and math literacy by installing the $1.5 million Houghton-Mifflin

core reading curriculum and several other programs.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The trustees will discuss their 20-minute meetings with the

principals and will likely approve each of them.