INSIDE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT Here are some...

INSIDE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Here are some decisions and discussions from Tuesday night’s

Newport-Mesa Unified School District meeting:

REVIEW OF GOVERNOR’S BUDGET PROPOSAL

Assistant Supt. of Finance Paul Reed presented the board with his

outlook on how Gov. Schwarzenegger’s budget proposal will affect

statewide education, specifically in the Newport-Mesa Unified School

district.

Reed said most school districts will suffer because the governor

reneged on a deal that limited the 2004-2005 suspension of Prop 98

that would ultimately put $2.3 billion back into the school system.

The governor intends to modify Prop 98 to eliminate the ability to

suspend it and expects to repay schools over a 15-year span, as the

budget gap widens, he said.

“After years of cuts and broken promises like we’re seeing now,

the governor’s budget is not a good budget for California education,”

Reed said. “And it’s coming at a time when California is spending

less per student than most states.”

WHAT IT MEANS

The budget will be revised in May, and Reed said there are so many

complaints against it that it’s unlikely it’ll be passed as it

currently stands.

“It doesn’t solve the overall problem,” Reed said. “It solves

problems for this year but the same problems will come back again

next year ... I would be shocked beyond belief if we ever see it in

June.”

The Newport-Mesa district is more financially solvent than its

statewide counterparts, though, and should survive the budget crunch

without making many cuts, he said.

AUTHORS FESTIVAL BOOKMARK WINNERS

Three Newport-Mesa students were recognized as winners of the

districtwide Authors Festival 2005 bookmark contest. Trustees

determined that Erin Hatch, a first-grader at Andersen Elementary;

Adelaide Alva, a third-grader at Lincoln Elementary; and Idalma Cruz,

a sixth-grader at Davis Elementary, submitted the most outstanding

bookmarks.

Principals presented their students to the board and informed

trustees which books they’re currently reading.

“[Adelaide] loves to read,” said Lincoln Principal Jane Holm. “She

also likes humorous books. I asked her how it felt, and she said,

‘Great, just great.’ ”

WHAT IT MEANS

Board president Serene Stokes handed each winner a certificate of

recognition and posed for pictures with the students and their

families. The three finalists’ bookmarks will be distributed

districtwide to students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

The seventh annual festival will be held Feb. 3, as 34 children’s

book authors will speak to students at district schools.