Board picks selection panel

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District board appointed its superintendent selection advisory council at Tuesday’s meeting, enlisting 38 community members to choose a new district leader by June.

At the meeting, a number of local education groups ? including the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers, the California School Employees Assn. and the Harbor Council Parent Teacher Assn. ? named their own representatives to the board. The district drew other names by lot, including nine parent representatives and nine local residents who don’t have children in Newport-Mesa schools.

Over the next two months, the advisory council will select and interview candidates for Supt. Robert Barbot’s successor. On March 6, the district expects to close the window for applications, with the board interviewing the final contenders the following month.

“I don’t think it will be easy at all,” said Mike Scheafer, a State Farm Insurance agent and Costa Mesa United member who was drawn by lot for the committee. “Finding the best candidate is going to be hard, but I’m sure there’s lots of qualified folks who will apply.”

In its initial model, the district had outlined 45 posts on the advisory council, but reduced the number by seven when some of the contacted groups did not submit candidates, according to administrative services coordinator Laura Boss.

Among the Newport-Mesa administrators appointed to the advisory council are Costa Mesa High School principal John Garcia, Eastbluff Elementary School principal Charlene Metoyer and English-learner programs director Karen Kendall. Jim Rogers, president of the teachers union, is on the council along with five teachers.

Daniel de Arakal, a senior at Orange Coast Middle College High School, was the only student named to the committee due to a lack of other applicants.

In drawing names of parents, the board sought an elementary school and a secondary school representative for each high school zone, as well as representatives for preschool and alternative education. Don Krotee, whose daughter attends Middle College High School, was selected to represent the latter group.

A worthy superintendent, Krotee said, will keep the community’s interests, as well as the district’s, in mind.

“A school district is a superagency, and they don’t have to listen to the municipalities in which they reside,” he said. “It’s been shown, however, that school districts that do work closely with their companion municipalities have a marvelous influence in the community and a great interactive platform with their students. My greatest hope is that we get a superintendent who shoulders that responsibility.”

Krotee extended praise to Barbot, who became Newport-Mesa’s superintendent in 1998 and plans to retire at the end of June.

“I can tell you very few school districts, if any, are funded by the local populace the way Newport-Mesa is,” he said. “It really is practically in a class by itself, and that’s as much due to Dr. Barbot’s asking as the community’s giving.”

MEMBERS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT SELECTION ADVISORY COUNCIL

NEWPORT-MESA ADMINISTRATORS ASSN.

John Garcia, principal of Costa Mesa High School

Karen Kendall, director of English-learner programs

Charlene Metoyer, principal of Eastbluff Elementary School

NEWPORT-MESA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS

Jim Rogers, president of the federation

Carol Curtis, Orange Coast Middle College High School

Paula Gibbons, Ensign Intermediate School

Sharon Peterson, Costa Mesa High School

Kathy Smith, Eastbluff Elementary School

Ted Williams, Corona del Mar High School and Lincoln Elementary School

CALIFORNIA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES ASSN.

Loy Gibson, Back Bay High School

Cathie Ropp, Davis Elementary School

Sandy Welch, district accountant

SUPERVISORS/ CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE GROUP

Todd Hatfield, accounting supervisor for nutrition services

Norma Crosby, administrative assistant

PARENT REPRESENTATIVES

Roy Pizarek, Newport Harbor zone

Mary Cappellini, Newport Harbor zone

William Redding, Estancia zone

Vicki Snell, Estancia zone

Loretta Zimmerman, Corona del Mar zone

Rich Barden, Corona del Mar zone

Janet Krochman, Costa Mesa zone

Katrina Foley, Costa Mesa zone

Don Krotee, alternative education

STUDENT BOARD MEMBER

Daniel de Arakal, Orange Coast Middle College High School

NEWPORT-MESA SCHOOLS FOUNDATION

Bruce Garlich, foundation member

HARBOR COUNCIL PTA

Michele Graham, president

Nadine Turner, vice president of leadership programs

DISTRICT ENGLISH-LEARNER ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Mirna Burciaga, president

HIGHER EDUCATION

David Waller, National University

COMMUNITY-AT-LARGE

Kim DeBroux, Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce

Joseph Dubois, Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce

Mike Scheafer, trustee area one

Stephanie Campbell, trustee area two

Marissa Sanders, trustee area three

Robert Smith, trustee area four

Katherine Infantino, trustee area five

Mark Schultheis, trustee area six

Mariko Beaver, trustee area sevendpt.02-barbot-BPhotoInfoIQ1OH1TU20060302h2yre2n1(LA)Robert Barbot