School Districts Orange County

Less than a week after Orange County filed for bankruptcy, top officials from three county school districts said Sunday that they will run out of money by March at the latest unless they can withdraw cash from the now-frozen county investment pool.

Five of Orange County's 28 school districts are searching this spring for new superintendents to lead their school systems, a job that has become increasingly tough to fill in California. The Huntington Beach City School District, Fullerton School District, Brea Olinda Unified, Centralia and Saddleback Valley Unified are all looking for chiefs. Districts across California find themselves in the same position, which has created strong competition for good candidates.

Capistrano Unified: The district will not place any more money in the county investment pool, Supt. James A. Fleming said. "I would like to see that money go elsewhere, whether a depository or other agency outside Orange County. . . . I think it would be mistake to put any more money into that fund. . . . If they declare bankruptcy, in my mind everything stops." He also said he hopes to receive state financial assistance, if necessary. "If we don't have any money, we can't operate schools. . . .

An Orange County school board tonight is expected to give final approval to a policy that would punish campus bullying as harshly as bringing a knife or a bottle of vodka to school--a policy which might be the first of its kind in the country. The rule would add bullying to the list of offenses covered under the Newport-Mesa Unified School District's zero-tolerance policy. Students caught bullying could be transferred to other district campuses and referred to counseling.

Whether a child is dreading the end of summer or counting the days until he or she can return to the classroom, one thing about the back to school season is certain: Parents are going to be shopping. Clothes, lunch boxes, gym shorts, No. 2 pencils and book bags aside, this year parents are finding the return to school potentially more hectic--and expensive--than ever as schools lean increasingly on families for the everyday supplies that keep a classroom running.

While the majority of Orange County's students started summer vacation this week, Thomas Jefferson fourth-grader Aracely Sigala headed back to the classroom Tuesday--along with thousands of other students attending year-round schools. "I keep telling myself school is fun," the giggly 9-year-old Anaheim girl said, adding that it can be hard to focus on school while her friends are hitting the beaches or Disneyland.

It's a month into the academic year, and some Orange County school districts are starting to shuffle students and place them into bilingual classrooms to accommodate parents' requests for native-language instruction. Despite voters' overwhelming passage of Proposition 227, which promotes English-only instruction, primary-language programs can be resurrected if the district is willing and there is widespread parent interest. The response by parents countywide has been decidedly mixed.

The outside world could come charging through the security gates of Coto de Caza in the shape of 20 modular classrooms for a new public school that could open as early as next year. But the preliminary plans to install the newest campus in the Capistrano Unified School District have drawn attacks both from residents, who say it would undermine the privacy and security of the private foothill enclave, and outsiders who say putting a public school there could be downright illegal.

Pushed to the edge by hot weather, four Santa Ana Valley High School teachers this week spoke out against the school district's recently enacted dress code for teachers, and presented trustees with a petition. In June, trustees of the Santa Ana Unified School District passed a dress code that included ties for men and prohibited sandals. The Valley High teachers attended Tuesday's school board meeting to say that the policy was unfairly enacted, because teachers were not consulted.

The Centralia School District will begin a two-week "Kindergarten Jump Start" program Tuesday that aims to introduce incoming kindergartners and their parents to the classroom setting, schedules, procedures and curriculum. Its purpose is to prepare children for learning, said Bobbi Mahler, assistant superintendent of instruction. The district invited more than 200 children and their parents from Buena Park, Anaheim and La Palma to join the program, which lasts two hours per day.

Newport-Mesa school board members tonight are expected to give final approval to a policy that would punish campus bullying as harshly as bringing a knife or a bottle of vodka to school--a policy that might be the first of its kind in the county. The rule would add bullying to the list of offenses covered under the district's zero-tolerance policy. Students who are caught bullying could be transferred to other district campuses and could also be referred to counseling.

A controversial plan that would have scattered Laguna Niguel's high school students among various campuses has been scrapped, much to the relief of many parents and their children. "We consider this a big victory," said Steve Gross, a Laguna Niguel resident who had objected to the splitting. "It shows the power of what happens when a community comes together and unites around an issue in a civilized way."

Already considered a trendsetter in Orange County, the Irvine Unified School District has been sponsoring brainstorming sessions among more than 50 students, teachers and administrators to map out a vision for the district's future. Called the Future Force Committee, the group is trying to dissect and plan for crucial issues cropping up in the district, including fiscal stability, attendance boundaries, technology training, school security, teacher training and parent involvement.

Schools in Orange County were awarded almost $20 million by the state for meeting their targets under the Academic Performance Index, according to figures released Wednesday. The allocations were posted on the Web site of the California Department of Education, which will distribute $227 million to 4,502 schools statewide--380 in Orange County.

Tustin school board members announced Tuesday that they had picked a new superintendent for the district. "We hope this person will be able to lead us in the direction that we need to go," board member Ann G. Albertson said. But the school board will not reveal the individual's name until this afternoon.

Santa Ana Unified School District board members tonight will again consider about 100 suggested names for up to 14 new campuses. Board members delayed a decision at their meeting Oct. 10 to allow compilation of last-minute suggestions.

S.E.L.F. Alternative High School is all set to go digital by the end of the year. The continuation school for the Irvine Unified School District, which has just 225 students, was chosen from a statewide lottery last month to get a $54,000 grant from California's Digital High School Program. Schools use the money to buy computers and software, train teachers and give students access to the Internet and e-mail.

Working in a good school district benefits the Fountain Valley School District faculty, but it doesn't pay the bills, say some veteran teachers who are disgruntled about being paid below the county average. "People want to be associated with a district like this, but it's frustrating to not be compensated accordingly," teacher Carol Swain said.

Across Orange County, 45 public school teachers and principals may get $7,500 from the government to help them buy homes near the schools where they work--as long as they're willing to spend five years in front of a class at one of the county's 93 lowest performing schools.

The Centralia School District Board of Trustees will vote to accept $1,745 from Raymond Temple Elementary School and the Buena Park Lions Club during this evening's board meeting. The PTA donation will be used to provide school materials, and the Lions Club donation will be used to fund a Spanish sign language instructor.