INSIDE THE DISTRICT Here are some decisions...

INSIDE

THE DISTRICT

Here are some decisions coming out of the Newport-Mesa Unified

School District board of trustees’ meeting.

PRESENTATIONS

At the meeting, students who won the district’s Authors Festival

bookmark contest received their awards.

WHAT IT MEANS

For the past six years the district has held the Authors Festival.

Students from elementary schools design bookmarks for a contest

associated with it.

Justin Hanson, a first-grader at Andersen Elementary School;

Anthony Cruz, a second-grader at College Park Elementary School and

Sami Wheeler, a fifth-grader at California Elementary School, won the

contest. Librarians from the Orange County public libraries in Costa

Mesa and Newport Beach were on the judge’s panel.

The students’ bookmarks have been duplicated and distributed to

elementary students districtwide.

The Authors Festival will take place Feb. 5 and will feature 34

authors of children’s literature speaking at district schools.

ADULT EDUCATION

The board voted to revise the district’s policy requiring physical

education classes for all adult education students.

WHAT IT MEANS

A report issued after a November visit by a state Coordinated

Compliance Review team recommended the district drop its physical

education graduation requirement for adult education students. After

examining the state education code and policies of other local

districts, they found that few made returning students take physical

education classes. The policy change will affect students over the

age of 18 who are completing their graduation requirements through

the district.

JOINT RE-OPENER PROPOSAL FOR BARGAINING

The Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers and Newport-Mesa Unified

School District will enter negotiations over 12 articles this year.

WHAT IT MEANS

The union’s current bargaining agreement expired June 30 and all

contract articles are open for negotiation this year. The union and

district agreed to negotiate 12 issues -- management rights, days and

hours of employment, union rights, staff evaluations, peer assistance

and review, class size, transfer process, traveling teacher

assignments, bereavement leave, salaries, health and welfare benefits

and grievance procedures. That opens the door for talks between the

union and district.

-- Alicia Robinson