SANTA ANA : Neither Rain Nor Gloom Stays Parents

Scores of parents, braving cold, rainy weather, camped out overnight in front of MacArthur Fundamental Intermediate School to be among the first in line when school officials open registration today for sixth-grade classes this September.

Carrying sleeping bags, beach chairs, food, coffee and other amenities, the parents started arriving at the school on West Alton Avenue at 5:30 a.m. Friday. They pitched tents to protect themselves from the rain and wore warm clothing against the cold.

“This is commitment,” said David Griffith, as his wife, Holly, directed arriving parents to a tent that served as a makeshift field office for the parents to sign up.

“We’re trying to make this as civilized as possible,” Holly Griffith said, pointing to the sign-up list, which contained nearly 100 signatures by midmorning Friday. “We did this so people can move.”

The Griffiths, who live down the street from MacArthur, were among the first to arrive at the school. They were trying to enroll their son Brent, now a fifth-grader at Taft Elementary School, about a half a mile away from MacArthur.

During the past 10 years, camping out at MacArthur has been a familiar scene as parents try to secure the 80 to 100 available slots for the school’s sixth-grade class. Two-thirds of the more than 300 sixth-graders each year come from John Muir Fundamental and Greenville Fundamental Schools.

Fundamental schools, unlike others in the Santa Ana Unified School District, are schools of choice, which accept students from kindergarten to fifth grade. Parents can send their children to the two fundamental elementary schools as long as they live within the district’s attendance area.

Once these students finish fifth grade, a majority ultimately go to MacArthur, which has been voted a California distinguished school in two of the past three years, according to Principal Jane Russo.

“We have a well-publicized program,” said Russo, explaining why MacArthur is popular among parents. “We have a strong academic emphasis, a dress code and we keep our parents informed.”

That is probably why many parents go to great lengths to enroll their children in the school, Russo said.

“I don’t care if it rains,” said Fernando Orozco, who was in line to enroll his son, Nicolas. “I’m doing this for the education of my boy.”

“We’d be here all night,” said Alfredo Castro. “This is a very good school and I’m looking for something better for my son.” He said his son, Alfonso, begged him not to send him to their neighborhood school.

Other parents were willing to camp out but were not happy about it.

Many parents, particularly those who live close to the school, were upset that they have to line up for more than 24 hours to enroll their children at MacArthur.

“I find this to be very offensive,” said Stuart Baker, who was trying to enroll his son, Scott, a fifth-grader at Taft Elementary School. “We feel our children should go to the school in our neighborhood.”

“I want my son to feel safe, safe enough so he can walk home,” said Joan Mitzer whose son, David, also goes to Taft.

Gary Slade, who stayed overnight last year to enroll his son Garrett, now a sixth-grader at MacArthur, said camping out was worth it.

“I would do it every year if I had to,” he said.

Pointing to a school flyer showing that his son won a science award, Slade said, “It’s an incredible school. It’s absolutely worth it.”