Welcome To Newport-Mesa A City Of Kids

I want to welcome the new NMUSD Board of Education to the world of Covid 19 and all their future attendant problems: distance learning, IT issues, masks, sanitizing, master schedules, and going in and out of shut-downs. You will be in charge of navigating all these problems with a newly appointed superintendent

I also want to welcome you to the world of children...big and small, old and young, privileged and not. These are your people. They count. They matter. They are why you are there, and there are 20,000 of them.. 20,000!

Think about that figure for a moment. Newport Mesa Unified School District could be a city. Barstow CA, Belmont CA and Blythe CA have about the same number of citizens. When you think about it that way you realize the responsibility you have.

You may have been elected in one area, but your responsibility is to the whole district and every one of those kids; the ones who live on the west side as well as the ones in Newport Coast, and all the kids in between.

In the olden days in Newport-Mesa (about five minutes ago), the board spent a lot of time attending events and doing what some people call “the princess wave” which obviously means showing that they may enjoy the accolades that seem to go with the job.

You, the new board, are not going to experience any of those feelings around the age old “perks”. You will be treated with respect, but no longer worshipped. You. will no longer have to ask permission to visit a school, and have the principal escort you around to special classes The blind trusting of the district administration will not be a part of the deal anymore. Transformation will be your goal always. What will be new to the culture will be hard work. You will be asking for and getting all the information you need, without delay. Every trustee will have equal access to information, and you will feel the responsibility to understand it and if you don’t, you will be able to call anyone in the district to get the answers. There no longer will be a delay and obstruction at times and to certain trustees . Every trustee will have the information.

You will be way more open to listening to teachers. In fact you will be constantly seeking and getting their advice regularly from our teachers , because you know that they hold all the information and wisdom about this district.

It all sounds daunting doesn't it? It is but when you picture these students: the kindergartners with their little fresh faces, the oh-so-trying to be cool middle school students, and the high school kids trying so hard to grow up, you will realize not only the responsibility, but the joy of knowing that you ..yes you are making a huge difference.

So everyone wishes you well in this city of kids, and know you will do your best in this