Shalimar plans expansion

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- After surviving a brief closing this fall, the Shalimar

Learning Center now is planning to expand to another location.

“This center is here to stay and we are also looking into opening an

additional center in Costa Mesa,” said executive director Laura Johnson.

“We don’t want to deplete anything here. We want to make sure Shalimar is

as good as we can be, but we want to help as many children as we can.”

The 6-year-old learning center, which serves 243 children in its three

apartments, shut its doors Sept. 15 in response to a demonstration

protesting the firing of Maria Alvarez, a longtime staff member.

It reopened in early October after parents, students and staff

resolved their differences at a community forum.

Alvarez was let go because she disagreed with a new schedule that

staggered the times that different children could come to get academic

help. Other staff members thought there were too many children at the

center at one time for its volunteers to be effective.

Johnson said that since the center reopened, the number of volunteers

has increased from about 65 to more than 80, which has helped the center

maintain its academic focus.

“We’re getting such a strong volunteer base and there are now fewer

kids per volunteer,” Johnson said. “The volunteers are able to really

work more with the kids and concentrate more on the kids, and I think

we’re going to see better results. I think people recognize there’s such

a need and have responded to that call.”

Newport-Mesa Unified school board member David Brooks said the

expansion is “excellent news for the community.”

“These are the kinds of things we really need more of in our

community,” he said. “The center gives students a place they can come and

get help. It also gives them a place to do their homework, which those

students don’t have. It allows them a kind of a retreat, a place they can

meet with their friends and get help from them, as well as from

volunteers.”

The center is considering two possible sites and expects to reach a

decision by next week, Johnson said. She would not say what places are

being considered.