EDUCATION Newport-Mesa may lose $1.5 million...

EDUCATION

Newport-Mesa may lose $1.5 million from state

School district officials are bracing for an about $1.5-million

loss if the state Legislature adopts Gov. Gray Davis’ budget proposal

for 2003-04. The proposal is in response to a state deficit of about

$34 billion. The plan calls for giving school districts more leeway

in deciding which programs to continue funding and which to

discontinue. The plan also suggests taking a large chunk of the

excess property tax the district receives. The legislature won’t make

its final decision until June.

Orange Coast College, meanwhile, expects a $6-million reduction

and decided this week to redirect swap meet revenue it receives from

community education to for-credit courses. The OCC Swap Meet will

generate about $500,000 in 2003 that can fund about 150 classes for

3,500 students, college spokesman Jim Carnett said. That swap meet

revenue, however, has traditionally funded the school’s professional

arts series that has brought performers such as Debbie Reynolds to

the campus. The money also paid for community education that included

noncredit courses and the lecture series. The college has already

made $2.8 million in mid-year budget cuts to cover its state budget

losses.

Engineers have deemed two Newport Harbor High School buildings

unacceptable risks in a major earthquake. Robins Hall and Loats

Theater, which are connected, house an auditorium, 15 classrooms, all

of the administrative offices, the library and food services.

District officials are working on a transition plan to move students

out of the building over the summer to create the least amount of

disruption. Officials aren’t concerned about the situation in the

interim -- this semester. The announcement came Thursday, the day

before the nine-year anniversary of the Northridge earthquake and

eight-year anniversary of the Kobe, Japan, earthquake.

Newport-Mesa Unified school board members are looking into ways to

bring their meetings into the living rooms of Newport Beach residents

quicker. Currently, resident wait 11 day to watch the televised

proceedings because the trustees meet at the same time -- the second

and fourth Tuesdays of each month -- as the Newport Beach City

Council. To resolve the delay, school district officials are asking

Adelphia Systems and Cox Communications to help them gain a dedicated

public access channel for their meetings.

Vanguard University students spent 24 hours praying Thursday as

part of the college’s first-ever Day of Prayer. About 200 students

partook in the daylong event to kick off the beginning of the new

semester. University officials said they dedicated the 24 hours to

the festivities to unite as a body and worship God’s wisdom. The day

started with chapel and students, faculty and staff followed that up

by walking around the perimeter of the school. Students were also

signed up for prayer times arranged in 5-, 10-, 15- and 30-minute

intervals.

OCC dance and cheer teams have something to shout about. The two

teams captured national titles this month at the Universal

Cheerleaders Assn. National Championships at Walt Disney World in

Orlando.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers education. Reach her at (949) 574-4221 or

by e-mail at [email protected].