ORANGE COUNTY IN BANKRUPTCY : Cash-Strapped Schools Draw Up ‘Wish Lists’ : Education: Districts are seeking supply donations. In Irvine, parents may even be asked to help with light custodial work.

Teachers in the highly-touted Irvine Unified School District have placed a newspaper ad seeking donations of paper, pencils and even cleaning supplies that they hope will ease the school system’s financial crisis.

The school district, which has more than $105 million trapped in the county’s collapsed investment pool, already is considering selling its headquarters and has talked about enlisting parent work crews to help with light school custodial duties.

“We want to let the community know the depth of the problem,” said Steve Garretson, president of the Irvine Teachers Assn., which placed the newspaper ad. “Parents are calling to say they are willing to donate materials. They are asking us how they can help us during this crisis.”

Other school districts hit hard by the county bankruptcy are scrambling for cash and turning to local residents and businesses to provide services and basic classroom supplies.

Administrators at the Newport-Mesa Unified School District plan to release a “wish list” seeking donations of items such as books and computers. Parents in the Laguna Beach Unified School District have asked parents to create their own list.

But so far, only Irvine teachers have actually paid to publicize their campaign for donations.

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The advertisement, which cost $400 and is set to run in the Irvine World News on Thursday, states that “every school needs basic supplies such as copier paper, writing materials, cleaning and other supplies.”

The ad also says that “money is needed to purchase copier supplies (such as toner) and repair equipment used by students and classroom teachers.”

Garretson said that while the district hasn’t depleted its supplies, the teachers hope donations will allow school officials to spend precious resources on other items.

“Obviously, there is some ditto paper in the district warehouse. We are not completely out,” he said. “But if people can donate these supplies, we don’t have to reorder and spend money we don’t have to.”

Teachers at each Irvine school are now compiling lists of materials they would like to have donated. People who respond to the ad will be given copies of the lists. Garretson said all basic supplies will be accepted, including glue, pens, chalk and scissors.

He also said the teachers need more specialized items such as art supplies. “For a second-grader doing a Valentine’s Day project, you need red construction paper,” he said.

The Laguna Beach High School PTA also is asking teachers for a list of items they need to keep classrooms running smoothly during the financial crunch. The list will be published in the PTA newsletter, which goes to the homes of all high school students.

“Really, all they need to know is what’s needed and they’ll provide it,” PTA President Chris Loidolt said Friday. “This is a miraculous community.”

Parents and businesses also will be asked to consider “adopting” classrooms to make sure instructors have needed supplies.

A laboratory could provide beakers or other equipment for science class experiments, they suggested, and old letterhead paper could be used for school memos.

At the Newport Mesa Unified School District, officials are finalizing a list that include puzzles and art supplies, as well as software and hardware for Apple 2G computers.

“The community has shown a great interest,” said Newport-Mesa Supt. Mac Bernd. “What we’re working on now is to try to get them specifics.”

But some residents aren’t waiting for the list to be finalized.

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Education consultants Sue Wells Welch and Bruce Joyce, who were working with the Newport-Mesa district on improving the quality of instruction, offered to continue their work for free after the district suspended funding.

“We put a suspension on all expenditures for those sorts of things,” Bernd said, “They just flat came in and said we’re going to finish off the year for you.”

When the district had to cancel a Newport Harbor High School science field trip to a Rockwell International facility, the aerospace giant said it would help.

At Laguna Beach High School, one parent who owns her own business has offered to run report cards through her postal meter, principal Barbara Callard said.

“Those little things tend to mount up to a major expenditure,” said Callard, who is mulling over the offer.

The Irvine Education Foundation--an independent fund-raising group--recently received a $1,000 check from AVCO Financial Services to help schools.

“I think it’s wonderful,” said Elizabeth Thomas, president of the group. “I think it demonstrates the kind of support we will be finding in the coming months.”

Times correspondents Russ Loar and Holly J. Wagner contributed to this report.