Schools open according to plan

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT-MESA-- Despite the prospect of more crowded halls, Supt.

Robert Barbot said Thursday that “the kids looked sharp and ready to go”

on the first day of this school year.

In response to the visible increase in enrollment, the district has

hired 140 new teachers and may be hiring more in the next few days,

Barbot said. But it is too early to tell yet how much enrollment is up

and how many extra instructors might be necessary.

Despite an unexpected extra 40 students at Whittier Elementary, it was

a “great day” said Principal Sharon Blakely.

“Someone brought me a [name badge] that said ‘prinsoble’ spelled in

beans,” said a clearly amused Blakely.

Across the district, other schools had an equally successful first day.

“The kids were well-behaved, as they are on the first day of school,”

said California Elementary Principal Jane Holm. “It was an exciting day

for everyone.”

The only glitch on the day happened in the morning when a Newport-Mesa

school bus was involved in a minor traffic accident.

The accident occurred on the Costa Mesa Freeway south of Edinger

Boulevard. Another car was involved, but there were no reports of major

injuries. The accident is under investigation.

School board president Serene Stokes attributed the day’s success to

the long hours of preparation prior to Thursday.

“People had done so much prior to the opening that the opening was so

smooth,” said Stokes, who spent the morning dropping in on Newport-Mesa

schools.