COSTA MESA : First School Summit Signals a New Start

To most parents, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s first-ever Education Summit held at Estancia High School in Costa Mesa on Thursday signaled a break with the district’s troubled past.

Last September, the district discovered it had lost $4 million in an embezzlement scandal masterminded by their top budget officer, Stephen Wagner. During the fallout, longtime Supt. John W. Nicoll retired in December, citing health concerns.

Supt. Mac Bernd, who was hired this summer to repair the damage, promised to strengthen ties to the disillusioned community. “We need to forget the past and move toward the future,” Bernd told the grateful gathering. “We have to develop plans to implement the whole thing. . . . We will be accountable for what you have identified for us to do.”

After discussing a list of 18 issues, the summit participants narrowed that list to the top five priorities, including:

* Ensure the quality and accountability of teachers and administrators. * Strengthen the school’s curriculum.

* Ensure equitable administration and classroom staffing.

* Develop an effective system for community involvement.

* Evaluate English-as-a-second language policies and practices.

Bernd said the district will begin to plan ways to implement those priorities and will report back to the community at the Dec. 14 board meeting.

Inspired, Marianne Scott left the summit Thursday night and wrote a letter to Bernd.

“Parents know what they want for their children,” Scott said in an interview following the highly touted meeting. “It is nice to have someone listen to those desires and balance that with what the district can do.”

Scott said her letter would probably thank Bernd for the summit and include a few suggestions for improving the district further.

“I think it was the beginning of a wonderful partnership,” said Scott, who has two daughters attending schools in the district. “It (brought) us all together and have us listen to each other to get all sides to work together and more cooperation.”