Schools’ Future Debated

Teachers, students, parents, administrators and other community members met Sunday to sketch a vision that Los Alamitos Unified School District Supt. Carol Hart said will shape district planning and decisions in the new millennium.

The Create the Future conference brought together about 140 people of many backgrounds to discuss their goals for the 20-year-old school district.

For four hours, questions such as “Why should parents send their children to this district?” “How do we want to be seen by the community?” and “What would we like to hear others say about our district?” were debated.

Not everyone agreed on the answers, school trustee Del Clark said. Among those participating were some who have criticized the district over such matters as location of the Orange County High School of the Performing Arts, she said.

The brainstorming session was important to Bill Hayter, a father with two children in the district.

“I would like to see the Los Alamitos school district remain at . . . the leading edge and forefront of education,” said Hayter, a Seal Beach lawyer.

The second and final meeting of the conference will be held Nov. 21.

Ana Cholo-Tipton can be reached at (714) 966-5890.