Kids deserve first crack at fields The...

Kids deserve first crack at fields

The kids should get priority regarding the use of sports fields.

But what is really needed is access to more lighted fields. The

scramble to get lighted fields, especially after the time change,

will be very difficult this year with the limited number of fields

and the ban on temporary lighted fields by the Newport-Mesa Unified

School District.

It’s shameful that the city, school district and residents

surrounding our fields are not fully united in providing for the

athletic needs of our kids. If we are not supporting our youth, we

have no future.

KARL SECKEL

Costa Mesa

Be careful handing cove to nonprofit

I am pleased the Crystal Cove Alliance wishes to contribute to

Crystal Cove and believe it should be able to hang plaques or set up

benches with its name, etc., as most contributors, whether individual

or groups, have traditionally done. But it is another thing for the

state to hand over its statutory responsibilities to the public to a

nongovernmental organization with very little experience in

government, construction and government requirements.

As a former legal advisor to the Smithsonian Institution,

partially federal and partially privately endowed, I can assure you

it is trouble. The state parks department has done very well during

these inordinate rains; the fact they kept those cottages from

sliding down the hill is remarkable to me. Once we get those die-hard

mobile-home renters out of there, we should be able to proceed; but

we ought to get monetary sanctions from those who are deliberately

refusing to obey court orders and their contractual obligations.

I.C. BLACK

Newport Beach

More bonds equal more bonds

There seems to be a formula here to the school bonds. The more

bonds we pass, the more bonds we get. Always about money.

And the more money the schools get, the lower the students’

performance.

DON WILLIAMS

Newport Beach

District needs to use grant money wisely

It is a breath of fresh air to hear that the Newport-Mesa Unified

School District is finally getting the money it needs to run a

much-needed program in our district -- Advocates Supporting Kids. My

only concern is that the district will not use the program to its

greatest ability.

This program is designed to help start new programs and provide

staff -- counselors, nurses, teachers -- to help students who are

struggling emotionally or academically.

I have worked in the district, and I know that we can find

emotionally and academically struggling students in every one of our

schools, but I do believe that we have a larger population of these

struggling students in Costa Mesa schools. Just look at the recently

published state standardized test scores. I also know that problems

with attendance and low parental involvement, due to parents needing

to work one or two jobs just to live in our great city, flourish in

some of our lower performing schools.

It is my hope, as a counselor, a mother and a Costa Mesa resident,

that Supt. Robert Barbot and his staff focus on the schools that

desperately need the help. I ask them to take the time to have focus

group meetings with the counselors, principals, students, parents and

teachers on each campus to find out what the needs are and what

assistance would help.

Each campus will be different -- some needing more help than

others. One example of academic help would be to provide an

after-school English as a second language workshop for our struggling

high school students -- and why not include their parents? Reach out

to the community while you are at it.

When I was employed as a counselor at the high school level, I was

hardly given the opportunity to counsel students, although that was a

part of our job. Barbot was quoted as saying that some students “fall

through the cracks because there’s no one there to help them.” Well,

I was there, and I know that there are many caring staff members

there.

We just couldn’t get to them all or get the support we needed from

the district to make much of a difference.

District spokeswoman Jane Garland was quoted in the Pilot as

saying, “We have counselors, psychologists, teachers who are

passionate about this, but they all have another job.”

That was precisely my frustration when I was with the district. It

seemed that the district allowed paperwork and data entry to

interfere with our real purpose on the campus. The district has been

given this chance to grab the kids who need attention and be real

assets to their education and possibly begin to steer them in the

right direction. This could be a life-altering experience for some

students if the programs are designed properly.

I felt that when I was employed with the district there was a

sense of apathy among the district administrators toward our at-risk

students. Please, district administrators, don’t blow this chance to

make up for many years of turning your backs on your students who

need you to get to the next level in their lives -- to improve their

sense of attachment to learning and to the community.

This district is really good at focusing on the really low

performing students and the really high performing students, now you

can put the same energy into helping the middle-of-the-road, often

forgotten, struggling students. Please don’t let your community down.

Unlike some Costa Mesa residents, I still support our local

schools and want them to succeed. I plan on sending my children to

Costa Mesa schools unlike many of my disheartened neighbors who

prefer to send their children across city lines, district lines or to

private schools to seek out a better education for their children.

And I pray that once funds run out in three years that there is a

district plan to continue the program’s efforts.

It would be a terrible shame to let three years of hard work

disappear because the district administrators did not have a

continuation plan in place if it does not receive such a generous

grant from the federal government again.

JENNIFER PENJOYAN

Costa Mesa