Schools Chief Talks New Programs for Newport-Mesa

To improve graduation rates and give Newport-Mesa students an edge in the job market, the school district is working on new academic and behavioral initiatives, announced Superintendent Fred Navarro.

Behavior and creativity have to be highlighted in the classroom, Navarro told a crowd at the Newport Beach Yacht Club during his State of the School District speech Wednesday hosted by Speak Up Newport.

"We really have high expectations for our students," said Navarro, who was named the Newport-Mesa Unified School District superintendent in June. "Even if they don't have plans to go to college, they still have to be prepared."

Back in the day, many people were able to skip college and make a good living with assembly line jobs, Navarro said. But those same jobs aren't available today because of technology.

"Robots do those jobs now, so our students need to be able to manage those robots," Navarro said. "Our students must have high levels of literacy and computation skills."

The N-MUSD currently has a 93.9 percent graduation rate, but Navarro said he would like that number to reach 100 percent.

"We lose track of some students, and we can't do that," Navarro said.

Along with the focus on academics, Navarro said the district plans to implement a "Restorative Justice" program in every school to help troubled students understand what they did wrong and build their character.

"It's not just about punishment," Navarro explained. "It's teaching them to learn from their mistakes, help build their character and become a better person."

Students also need to be creative in order to be competitive in the real world, Navarro added.

"Companies want people who are creative and think on their feet," Navarro said.

To help foster creativity and innovation at Newport-Mesa schools, district officials are working on ideas and options for flagship programs in the district's four zones, which include Newport Harbor, Corona del Mar, Costa Mesa and Estancia. Students will be able to choose a creative or academic program to follow from kindergarten through high school. 

"We have high quality teachers in our classrooms who are pushing our students to be ready and prepared," Navarro said.