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After a three-week hiatus from in-person learning, Newport-Mesa Unified School District is moving ahead with its plan to reopen middle and high school campuses starting Monday. ....
It’s been tough for students this year. With schools closing in March and remaining that way through much of the rest of the calendar year, parents, teachers and students have grappled with what is the best way to learn in the midst of a pandemic and how to bring kids back into classrooms safely. But, in spite of the obstacles, people have found ways to still celebrate the accomplishments of their children this year. Here are some of the top stories in education in Orange County in 2020: Corona del Mar High School was closed, along with all other Newport-Mesa Unified School District campuses, in March. Secondary schools didn’t reopen until November. ....
As Newport-Mesa Unified School District middle and high school teachers used a non-student day Friday to decompress from a chaotic first semester, on the final work day before winter break district officials sent out a quick communique to the school community. The message informed district families all secondary students would return to distance learning on the Jan. 4 start of spring semester. A two-month dalliance with in-person learning which saw kids return to campuses under a hybrid schedule would be paused, at least through Jan. 22. “[A] significant increase of COVID-19 cases throughout the state, Orange County and our local community has impacted our district and workforce, severely limiting our ability to find appropriate substitute employees who provide critical services,” Supt. Russell Lee-Sung explained. ....
Print Citing rising coronavirus infections and related absences among students, teachers and support staff and the burden that’s placing on the successful operation of the district Newport-Mesa Unified School District officials have decided to pull secondary students back to distance learning in January. Supt. Russell Lee Sung said in a special meeting Thursday the district faces a workforce crisis as more employees test positive for the virus or self-quarantine and as Newport-Mesa’s health department staff become overwhelmed by contact tracing and reporting duties. Anticipating a further surge following the upcoming winter break, officials recommended middle and high school students return to distance learning upon the Jan. 4 start of the new semester, continuing to Jan. 22. ....
Print An agreement between the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and its teachers union which would have eliminated one half-day of in-person learning for elementary school students to allow for teacher prep time was rejected by board members, who called the move “unacceptable.” Trustees were asked in a meeting Tuesday to approve a memo of understanding reached between district negotiators and representatives from the Newport Mesa Federation of Teachers regarding working conditions under a hybrid learning model. That agreement contained language regarding parent teacher conferences, special day classroom teacher compensation and preparation time. But controversy arose over a portion of the MOU pertaining to the hybrid schedule for elementary students, who currently attend in-person classes for half days in a morning or afternoon cohort four days a week, excluding Wednesdays, learning online the rest of the day. ....