COSTA MESA NEWPORT BEACH : School District OKs Computerization Plan

After months of delays, Newport-Mesa Unified School District has signed on to technology-based education.

Trustees this week approved $227,000 to hire staff and buy equipment to link schools to district offices, libraries and the Internet, giving students access to global databases.

“Too many times technology has been looked upon as a separate piece of curriculum,” said Bruce Crockard, Abraham Lincoln Elementary School principal and chairman of a trustee-appointed technology committee.

“The real power of technology lies within its seamless aspects of the curriculum. Technology should not drive curriculum, it should enhance it,” he said.

Several school districts countywide have been taking steps to include technology education in their class structure. Because Newport-Mesa was hurt financially by the collapse of Orange County’s investment pool late last year, it was forced to delay its technology plan for seven months.

Under the strategy adopted by trustees Tuesday night, secondary school library materials will be catalogued electronically and have electronic checkout systems.

All schools will have a subscription to cable television for instructional programming, and the district will reorganize its information services department to coordinate the project.

To sustain the program economically, the committee recommends forming ties with the business community and seeking grants.