Education Center to Be Converted to School

Anticipating an enrollment boom, trustees of Newport-Mesa Unified School District have voted to close its alternative education center at Monte Vista School and convert the school to an elementary campus.

Board President Martha Fluor said the school, which administers the district’s independent study and continuing education programs, may be closed as early as this fall.

The board chose to convert the Monte Vista site because it is ideal for use as an elementary campus. Since Monte Vista is already operating as a school, it would be cheaper to convert it than reopen properties that have been closed for several years, officials said.

The fate of the programs now operating on the site was not settled. Trustees have suggested in the past that the programs move to Davis School, where Newport-Mesa now offers its adult education programs.

The board will also have to decide whether it can continue to pay for all the alternative programs it now offers.

Trustees said they have heard from a number of students, teachers and parents who do not want to see the programs end. They fear it would force the students to choose between returning to regular high school or dropping out, and they predict the majority would choose to drop out.

“As far as I’m concerned, moving the center is fine, but to do away with it would be criminal,” said Don Washburn, a parent.