Parent matches school’s grant funds

NEWPORT BEACH ? David Pyle may not be a very visible presence next year at Newport Heights Elementary School. For one thing, he isn’t one to hog the spotlight. For another, his two youngest children are graduating from the sixth grade this month.

However, Pyle, the president of American Career College and a father of four, will leave a mark on the school of a different kind. This year, he embarked on a project to renovate technology all over the Newport Heights campus ? and he’s offered to best himself 12 months from now.

During the 2005-06 school year, Newport Heights teachers were awarded 15 grants from the Newport-Mesa Schools Foundation for computers and other classroom technology. When Pyle heard about the amount of the grants? some $32,600 ? he decided to match it dollar for dollar.

“These guys hit the cover off the ball,” said Pyle, whose twins, Willie and Annie, attend Newport Heights. “That’s when the idea just popped into my head. I would like to be a catalyst for them going forward.”

Newport Heights is in the second year of a five-year, $750,000 technology plan. When Principal Kurt Suhr came on board last year, he instigated the plan to outfit every classroom with computers and acquire SMART Boards, laptops and other equipment.

This year, Newport Heights’ parents foundation raised $44,000 for computers, providing 41 units for a lab at the school. Those funds, coupled with the grants and Pyle’s matching donation, pushed Newport Heights’ total to more than $100,000.

On Friday morning, during the school’s last flag deck ceremony of the year, Pyle awarded South Coast Plaza gift certificates to all the teachers who had applied for grants ? even those who didn’t receive one. For next year, he has offered to match the school’s grant money up to $50,000, provided foundation does the same.

“He’s a real humble person,” Suhr said. “He doesn’t want a lot of recognition on this, but he’s helping the school.”

Steve Glyer, the director of technology for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, attended the flag deck ceremony on Friday. He praised Pyle for doing his part to rally the Newport Heights faculty.

“This is one of the best motivation things I’ve seen,” Glyer said. “It’s such a dynamic way of involving teachers in the process.”dpt.18-heights-2-CPhotoInfoE21S3I6320060618j0z8s3ncJAMIE FLANAGAN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Above, Newport Heights Principal Kurt Suhr awards gift certificates to teachers who wrote grant proposals for the school’s technology program. Below, David Pyle, who has pledged to match the grant money, speaks to students, parents and teachers.dpt.18-heights-1-CPhotoInfoE21S3I1820060618j0z8rdncJAMIE FLANAGAN / DAILY PILOT