NEWPORT BEACH : Picnic Will Mark District’s 25th Year

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District will mark its silver anniversary Thursday as it opens its doors for about 18,000 students.

To mark the occasion, the district has planned a celebration for Wednesday, when about 1,600 staff members will converge at the Orange County Fairgrounds for a picnic commemorating the 25th anniversary.

The picnic kicks off a year of events with the anniversary theme, including school board and administrative reunions, individual months dedicated to special themes such as employee recognition, and student-oriented events such as book drives and essay contests.

The district will begin its 25th year with a new middle school, TeWinkle Intermediate School in Costa Mesa, which is reopening to meet the small upswing in enrollment in lower grades.

While the anniversary year is a time for reflection on the district’s past, it will also mark a “springboard” for its future, said Board of Education President Sherry Loofbourrow.