Unchanged school board looks ahead

Deepa Bharath

NEWPORT-MESA -- Newly reelected school board members said Wednesday

they will strive to fulfill goals and objectives set by the district’s

strategic plan and get parents more involved in the education of their

children.

Martha Fluor, who retained her seat on the school board by a wide

margin over challenger Ila Johnson, said she will continue to listen to

parents and encourage their participation.

“We must listen to them, be it praise or criticism,” she said. Fluor

was the only incumbent to be challenged, but defeated Johnson 70.1% to

29.3%.

The trustees who were up for reelection but were unopposed were Dana

Black and David Brooks.

The concluded election was anticipated to be a controversial one with

opponents of the $163-million school bond promising to put up a fight

against incumbents. However, only Johnson emerged as a challenger.

Deciding how to use the money from the Measure A bond, passed in the

spring, is an important task for the board, Fluor said.

Prioritizing renovation and remodeling of schools and making sure

disruption is minimized will be the biggest challenges, she said.

Another issue the district will continue to wrestle with is its

growing diversity, Fluor added.

“We’re talking about diversity at the socioeconomic level, in language

and background,” she said. “And that’s going to grow with our changing

demographics.”

Brooks said the board will support more programs that will encourage

parents to be “actively involved with their child’s education.”

“It could be a variety of things like providing their children a place

to work or evaluating their homework,” he said.

Brooks also said the board will focus on implementing the district’s

strategic plan.

“It’s a plan that has been put together by a cross-section of our

community,” said Brooks. “And we’re accomplishing those goals piece by

piece.”

Black said “people are starting to feel confident” about the current

board.

“We still have a long way to go in terms of achieving what we set out

to achieve,” she said. “But we’re a team and we’re working together.”