Classes for Gifted May Get Tougher

Saboohi Currim is the mother of a fourth-grader at Anderson Elementary School in Newport Beach who attends the district’s program for advanced students, the gifted and talented education program. But Currim doesn’t think her son is being challenged enough.

Currim is one of several parents who want to see immediate changes in Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s curriculum for accelerated students.

So when district officials told Currim and about 100 other parents earlier this month that no changes were imminent, they decided to take matters into their own hands. The parents hired a consultant to plan a new program for Newport-Mesa schools. The consultant will speak to the Board of Trustees at a meeting tonight.

Compared to students at neighboring districts, advanced students at Newport-Mesa spend relatively little time in accelerated classes, meeting twice monthly for several hours in the afternoon, Currim said.

In fact, the program the parents have proposed is modeled after one at Irvine Unified School District, which has students in advanced classes all day, every day.

Currim said the consultant, Carol Smith, designed and still runs the gifted students program for Irvine Unified.

The board meets at 7 p.m. at the Harper Community Center, 425 E. 18th St., Costa Mesa. Information: (714) 760-3500.