BEHIND THE HEADLINES Jeffrey Hubbard

With Newport-Mesa students about to return to class this week, we asked Supt. Jeffrey Hubbard to reflect on his summer vacation and the coming school year.

Question: What did you think of the “Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County” show and was it an accurate portrayal of the student body?

Answer: I have not seen “Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County.” I am told it was not an accurate representation, at all. We have not and will not endorse this show nor participate with MTV in its production.

Q: How did you feel when Robins Hall came down this week?

A: Well, as you know, we’ve been anticipating this since I arrived last year. Student safety is our No. 1 concern, and while I know the building coming down is very sad for many of our alums, it is the right thing to do for the safety of the students and staff.

Q: What challenges and goals are you looking forward to in the coming school year?

A: I am very, very energized about this school year. Last year I was really “getting my feet on the ground” and this year we have some very exciting plans. We are focusing on student safety and disaster preparedness as well as communication and a real intense look at how every student in Newport-Mesa is performing.

We have already implemented the first phase of our disaster training. Communication in our district is also going to be addressed

we will continue to whittle through bureaucratic obstacles to do what is right for students and we will be honest about our strengths and shortcomings so that we can truly improve.

Lastly, we are going to be using student data in new and powerful ways that will give our teachers and principals an ability to address each student’s particular academic needs. I will also be working with our school board to identify other areas for goal-setting and establish a firm vision for the future. Last year this was very productive as they initiated our strategic program review which was a crucial process that gave us a clearer understanding of where we are and where we want to go as a district.

Q: How did you spend your summer vacation?

A: I spend most of my summer at work!

I was blessed to spend some time with my children and friends for a short time. I read a lot of books, went to Hawaii for a few days, saw some baseball, and went to the beach with my kids.

Q: Are you satisfied with the API and AYP scores and what should the district do to improve scores at TeWinkle?

A: In general, I am very pleased with the test scores in our district. Superintendents are never “satisfied” with test scores and know it requires diligence and effort to keep scores moving in the right direction. I am grateful to the principals, and especially the teachers, who worked so hard to improve our scores this year. I believe if we give our best effort, each day, for our students, test scores will naturally improve and I believe we saw that this year in NMUSD.

I am very optimistic that TeWinkle is a school that will be improving right away under the capable leadership of Principal Kirk Bauermeister. We have lengthened the school day and made other schedule changes that I believe will increase student time on task and improve test scores. We are also implementing measures that will identify each student’s particular needs in an effort to accommodate them which, the research is quite clear, will facilitate greater student success. We are committed to doing everything possible to help the students, teachers, and parents of TeWinkle to get that school moving forward and elevate student achievement.