Time Capsule Invitation

Click the image or the link below to read the latest edition of Newport-Mesa Unified School Districts Community Newsletter!

Community Newsletter

Newport-Mesa Unified School District received a request to name the Newport Harbor High School (NHHS) track and field the "Bob Hailey Memorial Track and Field", in honor of Mr. Bob Hailey, who was a NHHS teacher and coach. 
 
For more information and to take the survey regarding this naming request, please click the following link, Newport Harbor High School Track and Field Naming Survey. The survey will be available for public input until June 7, 2017.

Greetings! In the interest of keeping the community informed, please see below for a brief review of the upcoming Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD) Board meeting. I have highlighted a few items that may be of interest to the general public.

Board Meeting Agenda Highlights:

Recognition

10. a. Recognition of California Gold Ribbon School - TeWinkle Middle School. The Gold Ribbon Awards recognize California schools that have made gains in implementing the academic content and performance standards adopted by the State Board of Education.

10.b. Recognition of 2017 Model Continuation High School - Back Bay High School and 2016-17 California Continuation Education Association Region 10 Administrator of the Year, Principal Debbie Davis. Back Bay High School was named a 2017 Model Continuation High School for their program designed to help struggling students stay in school. Debbie Davis, who has been the principal of Back Bay High School for nearly 15 years, has been recognized as the 2016-17 California Continuation Education Association Region 10 Administrator of the Year. 

10.c. Recognition of California School Employees Association (CSEA) Chapter 18 Scholarship Recipients. CSEA Chapter President, Pam Saunders will present scholarship awards to Jackelyn Huerta - daughter of Jackeline Huertra, Nutrition Assistant at Ensign Intermediate School and  Maximilian DeNembo - son of Elizabeth DeNembo, Job Transition Specialist at Harper Transition Services.

Reports

13.a. Report on Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Corona del Mar Sports Field. The Facilities Development Department will report on the status of the draft California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process.
 

13.b. Report on Elementary Math Instructional Materials. Education Services along with K-5 elementary lead teachers will report on the process and results for the elementary math instructional materials pilot.

Consent

15.b.1. Approve Additions to the High & Middle School Course of Study. It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the revisions to the High & Middle School Course of Study for the addition of various courses.

Discussion/Action

17.b. Approve New Logo to Represent Newport-Mesa Unified School District. It is recommended that the Board review logo designs and select a new logo to represent Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

17.c. Approve 2017-18 PreK-12 District Priorities. The Board met to review the 2017-18 PreK-12 Board's District Priorities, evaluate the progress made towards those priorities, and determine the revisions needed as the district moves into 2017-18. The document presented for approval reflects the Board's direction for 2017-18. 

Please note that the NMUSD Board of Education meeting agenda is posted online the Friday prior to the meeting.

May 9, 2017 Full Board Meeting Agenda

General Board Meeting Overview

Board meetings are where elected officials conduct the business of the school district. Agendas for regular meetings of the NMUSD typically consist of a closed session and an open session.

Closed session agenda items are confidential and cannot be shared with the public. If the board agenda contains a closed session, the topics will be routinely related to confidential employee or student issues and/or pending litigation. The Board may also discuss various negotiations with its chief negotiator in a closed session.

Open session items are non-confidential agenda items in which the board conducts its business in view of the public. Open session agenda items are divided into the following sections:  

• Public comment is provided so that members of the community can speak to the Board. If a speaker addresses an issue that is not on the agenda, the Board is restricted from responding to the speaker. If a speaker addresses an issue that is on the agenda, the Board may respond when the agenda item is scheduled to be addressed in the agenda. The purpose of the open meeting law, commonly referred to as the Brown Act, guarantees that public organizations will only make decisions or address issues that have been publicly posted. Public comments on non-agenda items do not meet this threshold. 

• Presentation is when an item is being presented to the Board or from the Board.  Examples include presentation of a check or proclamation to the Board, or the Board presenting a Distinguished Service Award to a staff member.
   
• Report is a verbal communication from staff on a topic of interest to the Board.
   
• Consent calendar items are routine items of business that occur on a regular basis. The board will approve the consent calendar in one vote, unless the board pulls it for discussion. Often, consent calendar items are related to contract renewals, construction change orders, purchase of previously approved instructional materials, supplies and routine approvals required by state law.  
   
• Discussion/action calendar items are required to be publicly approved separately. Items in this category are new items that have not been previously approved, require a policy change, or are related to compensation changes for all employees.

Dr. Fred Navarro, Superintendent

Dear Kindergarten through Fifth Grade Parents,

In August 2016, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD) Board of Education gave direction to staff to begin the process of evaluating and piloting new elementary math instructional materials.  Through this collaborative, seven month pilot process, NMUSD K-5 teachers and staff have identified Bridges in Mathematics by Math Learning Center as the comprehensive set of kindergarten to fifth grade math instructional materials that will best meet the needs of NMUSD students and teachers. 

As you may recall from previous communications, this process began with assembling a steering committee of teachers and administrators to develop and guide the pilot process and future recommendation to the Board of Education. The steering committee identified two viable sets of instructional materials that were implemented, analyzed and evaluated in select primary and upper grade classrooms at each site. Teachers used and evaluated each set of materials for seven weeks and then collaboratively reached consensus that Bridges in Mathematics is the best set of K-5 math instructional materials for NMUSD.

As part of the evaluation process parents and students in pilot classrooms were provided an opportunity to provide feedback on the instructional materials.  Community members were able to review website links to publishers and provide feedback through the District Elementary Math Instructional Materials Pilot website.

We are grateful for the guidance and leadership of our Board of Education and their commitment to ensure that we provide teachers with opportunities to identify the best resources to prepare our students for the ever-changing world. District staff will report on the pilot process and the resulting recommendation of Bridges in Mathematics at the Board of Education meeting on May 9, 2017.  Bridges in Mathematics materials will be on display for public review in the Sanborn Building from May 10, 2017 to May 23, 2017.  A recommendation for final approval will go forward to the Board of Education on May 23, 2017.

We appreciate your feedback and support throughout the process and will continue to provide communication to our school community to work toward a seamless adoption process.  

Greetings! In the interest of keeping the community informed, please see below for a brief review of the upcoming Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD) Board meeting. I have highlighted a few items that may be of interest to the general public.

Board Meeting Agenda Highlights:

Recognition

10. a. Recognize 2016-2017 NMUSD Classified School Employee of the Year Recipients. The California School Employee of the Year (CSEY) program was established in 2008 by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and is based on guidelines set by the California Department of Education. It is recommended that the Board of Education recognize and commend NMUSD nominees for the California School Employee of the Year Program.

Reports

13.a. 50th Anniversary Student Board Member Report - 2000s. It is recommended that the Board of Education receive this report from the Costa Mesa High School student board members reflecting back on what it was like to be in school in the 2000s in Newport-Mesa.

Consent

Various routine contractual agreements related to the following:

15.a.2. Authorization to Approve Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement with Geocon West, Inc. for Geotechnical Investigation for the New 50 Meter Pool Facility at Estancia High School

15.a.3. Approval of Agreement with C.E.M. Lab Corp. for Materials Testing and Deputy Inspection Services for the Newport Harbor High School Varsity Baseball Field Scoreboard Replacement Project

15.a.4. Approval of Agreement with MTGL, Inc. for Soil and Materials Testing and Inspection Services for the Learning Resource Center at Corona del Mar High School

15.a.8. Approve Funding for Monolith Signs at Woodland and Killybrooke Elementary Schools

Resolution Consent

16.b. Adopt Resolution No. 32-04-17 In Support of May 10, 2017 as "National School Nurse Day" and the week of May 8 - 12, 2017 as "National School Nurse Week"

16.c. Adopt Resolution No. 33-04-17 In Support of Autism Awareness Month, April 2017

16.e. Adopt Resolution No. 36-04-17 Recognizing California Day of the Teacher May 10, 2017 and National Teacher Appreciation Week May 1-5, 2017

Please note that the NMUSD Board of Education meeting agenda is posted online the Friday prior to the meeting. Click here to view the full NMUSD Board of Education meeting agenda.

General Board Meeting Overview

Board meetings are where elected officials conduct the business of the school district. Agendas for regular meetings of the NMUSD typically consist of a closed session and an open session.

Closed session agenda items are confidential and cannot be shared with the public. If the board agenda contains a closed session, the topics will be routinely related to confidential employee or student issues and/or pending litigation. The Board may also discuss various negotiations with its chief negotiator in a closed session.

Open session items are non-confidential agenda items in which the board conducts its business in view of the public. Open session agenda items are divided into the following sections:  

• Public comment is provided so that members of the community can speak to the Board. If a speaker addresses an issue that is not on the agenda, the Board is restricted from responding to the speaker. If a speaker addresses an issue that is on the agenda, the Board may respond when the agenda item is scheduled to be addressed in the agenda. The purpose of the open meeting law, commonly referred to as the Brown Act, guarantees that public organizations will only make decisions or address issues that have been publicly posted. Public comments on non-agenda items do not meet this threshold. 
   
• Presentation is when an item is being presented to the Board or from the Board.  Examples include presentation of a check or proclamation to the Board, or the Board presenting a Distinguished Service Award to a staff member.
   
• Report is a verbal communication from staff on a topic of interest to the Board.
   
• Consent calendar items are routine items of business that occur on a regular basis. The board will approve the consent calendar in one vote, unless the board pulls it for discussion. Often, consent calendar items are related to contract renewals, construction change orders, purchase of previously approved instructional materials, supplies and routine approvals required by state law.
   
• Discussion/action calendar items are required to be publicly approved separately. Items in this category are new items that have not been previously approved, require a policy change, or are related to compensation changes for all employees.

Sincerely,

Dr. Fred Navarro
Superintendent, Newport-Mesa Unified School District