Festive send-off for outgoing school district trustees

COSTA MESA — The Newport-Mesa Unified School District gave its three outgoing trustees a rousing farewell Tuesday evening, as teachers, principals and others gathered for a celebration in the district boardroom.

During a special public meeting, board members Serene Stokes, Linda Sneen and Tom Egan got to be the center of Newport-Mesa’s attention one last time. Former Supt. Robert Barbot, Orange County Department of Education trustee Liz Parker and a number of district employees were among those making tributes.

“You have good people who come together and argue and fight, but they’re arguing and fighting about what’s best for the children,” said Barbot, who retired from the district in June.

The agenda for the special meeting called for the board to pass resolutions honoring Stokes, Sneen and Egan and then adjourn, but the audience kept the festivities going for more than an hour. By the evening’s end, the three trustees had received certificates or proclamations from the cities of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, State Sen. Tom Harman, Assemblymen Van Tran and others.

Even as the plaques and gift bags piled up, the boardroom displayed other signs of the trustees’ accomplishments. The departing members helped to select current Supt. Jeffrey Hubbard, while a giant $2.5-million check from the Irvine Co., which the board solicited to help pay for new science teachers, leaned in the corner.

Parker, whose two children have attended Newport-Mesa schools, gave a personal tribute as well as a professional one.

“I cannot possibly thank you enough for hiring the faculty and providing the resources you did for my kids,” she said.

A number of teachers and principals provided gifts for the trustees who had overseen their areas of town, but most of the offerings came in threes. Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers President Jim Rogers provided union T-shirts, adding a small caveat.

“Please don’t use it as a night shirt because I don’t want you to be accused of sleeping with the union,” he said.

At the end, Stokes, Sneen and Egan offered comments of their own. Egan joked about his history of feuding with other board members, while Stokes described her lifelong passion to help schools. Sneen, who gave the shortest speech, promised to stay active in the school community.

“My passions won’t change, just my title,” she said. “Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.”