Harbor View Elementary opens its doors

Danette Goulet

CORONA DEL MAR -- An open house at an elementary school once meant that

parents squeezed themselves into tiny seats and listened to a spiel --

not unlike a class lesson -- by their children’s teacher.

Harbor View Elementary School’s open house Thursday doubled as a

celebration for being named a California Distinguished School.

Parents still had a chance to see what their children are doing in class,

but the event was filled with pride over the campus’ new status as a

state-honored school.

Harbor View was one of four elementary schools in Newport-Mesa to be

named a California Distinguished School last month, the highest honor the

state bestows on a school.

It also puts a school in the running, should it apply, for the greatest

national honor in public education -- the National Blue Ribbon School

award.

The open house also functioned as a fund-raiser for the entire school

community.

People purchased $75 tiles, which were hand-decorated Thursday night and

will be added to a wall on campus. The money raised will go toward

improving the school library. The event, which also included an informal

auction for gift baskets, was expected to raise about $14,000 for the

library.

Students sat with their noses inches away from small square tiles as they

carefully drew pictures of themselves or their families for a new tile

wall.

“This is my Scottish guy -- I’ve had him for years,” said 12-year-old Max

Page.

The Scottish character may not depict Max’s family, but he certainly

seems like family.

“He doodles him on just about everything,” said Jo Ann Page, Max’s

mother. “That’s his logo.”

Like Max’s mother, many parents huddled with their children, helping them

draw or paint the pictures that will grace the wall of the school for

years to come.

After everyone finished painting their tiles, they headed down to the

school’s blacktop for a Mexican buffet dinner and the sounds of a steel

drum band. Attendees bid on various baskets overstuffed with donated

goodies -- some for children and a few for parents.

Grandparents, brothers, sisters and other relatives also joined in the

fun.

“Since we’re now a Distinguished School and since this school is such a

family anyway, we decided to celebrate our family community this year,”

said Principal Karen Kendall.