School board to set 2013 priorities

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s board meeting Tuesday night is scheduled to bring new leadership and new priorities for 2013.

Although all current members are returning, President David Brooks and Vice President Dana Black will likely hand off the baton when the seven-member board elects a new cabinet.

One of the first tasks the new president will preside over is setting the district’s priorities for 2013.

The way the district handles student discipline will likely be an emphasis next year. The agenda for Tuesday’s meeting includes a priority for “restorative justice” that focuses on positive student intervention and appropriate discipline.

Some California school districts have been moving away from harsher penalties like suspensions, but it’s not clear yet what Newport-Mesa will do yet, said Supt. Fred Navarro, adding this is just the beginning of the process.

“I think the first thing is for everybody to kind of get to the starting line,” he said.

The board is also expected to prioritize meeting or exceeding the average for National Merit Scholars within the next three years and preparing every high school student for admission to the University of California or California State University systems by 2014.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck