A COMICAL VIEW OF MEASURE A

To Whom it May Concern:

I would like to commend the district for their close attention to detail regarding Measure A, as we have experienced it at Ensign.

It was brilliant of you to not start this enormous job during the summer because the workers might have been too hot, and then there is the added bonus, of not challenging the students and teachers with the cacophony of noise that is attendant to the project. These teachers and students will forever know that the district cares enough about them to make sure that the jack-hammering is done during the actual classtime,and never after 3:00 PM so that they will be mentally and physically tough the rest of their lives. Their hearing may be damaged, not to mention their nerves, but they will look upon this hormonally charged moment as one in which they have shown their metal. The respect in which they will hold their teachers for withholding their combined breakdowns to a minimum, and rarely in front of their extremely large classes will know no bounds.

The physical challenges, although this part may be a little dicey in the end for the district and the contractors, have been excellent from the point of view of making sure that the students and teachers become stronger and stronger...at least mentally if not physically. The dust provided by the contractor has forced many of us to use inhalers that have gone unused for the past few years, thereby increasing the financial picture for the various pharmaceutical companies, as we purchase more and more of them. The sweatboxes that we used to call classrooms when we could open the doors, have perhaps presented one of the most stellar challenges. The noise plus the added sweat factor, has the side effect of solving the problem of overweight teens. Of course the ones that are too thin already are perhaps having more trouble, and of course the hearing aids for a goodly number of students and teachers should not be too much of a financial burden for the district and contractors.

How many restrooms do almost 1300 students need? Not as many as one might expect. The district and the planners have brought a physical challenge that is perhaps the most challenging: the Bladder and Intestinal Game. Those of the students and teachers who survive without bladder infections and other problems that shouldn't be mentioned in this letter of commendation, (although painfully and embarrassingly experienced), will ostensibly be able to go literally for hours and hours without giving in to "nature's call." The gift of two restrooms for students, restrooms that unreachable for teachers, and surprisingly, two restrooms that accommodate both teachers and students together (begging the questions of lawsuits) in this lovable maze that we call Ensign, has kept us all on our toes...sometimes literally.

The intellectual power that has been employed by the district and their planners rival that of the invention of the atom bomb....Einstein would have been proud.

Who would have thought of spending millions of dollars of the taxpayers money to test the combined wills of some 50 some odd teachers, and almost 1300 students. This plan should be included in the California Standards or the Presidential Physical Fitness Awards.

Retaining the basics of our classrooms with the possible exception of water in each classroom, will nicely continue our travail. The removal of all water in the time of SARS and other new diseases, coupled with the lack of restrooms is a new and surprising event. How the district and the Measure A contractors must love this school.

Removing the white boards which the teachers have fought so hard for, the placement of outlets, or rather the non-placement them, has literally brought tears to the eyes of some teachers, who expected that their various tech needs would be accommodated. How strong they are becoming!

Also, we must compliment your unfailingly brave decision to keep the old heaters that have hung so precariously from the ceiling forever. How courageous to fly in the face disaster and continue with those heavy, mostly non-working, and basically dangerous items. Who needs safety from the inevitable danger that lurks literally hanging by a thread from the ceiling? We have a district that looks disaster in the eye and never blinks.

Lastly, although we haven't begun to adorn the Newport Mesa School District with the accolades that it so richly deserves, we can't forget two items: the inclusion of the "cubbies" and the removal of all available storage. This will definitely separate the men from the boys with regard to organizational ability. There will be no storage, except for whatever you expected that we would put in the 40 "cubbies." In addition, the retention of the bottle brush trees that are surrounded by dirt that becomes dust immediately with the slightest breeze or the steps of even the smallest student, was a stroke of pure genius in the continuation of the physical and emotional testing of Ensign's population. That the teachers have long begged that they be removed makes the decision even better.

In conclusion, the students and teachers would like to thank you for attention to their welfare, and your continued dedication to putting unbelievable stress on them to test their combined strength. Surely, the citizens who voted for Measure A will be delighted to learn that the school has one large bandaid covering it, and that the plans that were originally passed as truth, have largely been ignored, and millions of dollars have been wasted.

This district, and all the people involved in Measure A must also love the citizens that voted for it even more than the teachers and students, to test their patience and strength in this way.

Sincerely,

Those of us who are still able to breathe, think, and have normal bodily functions.

BENEFITS COMMITTEE

Mission Statement

We are driven by the belief that health of our members present and retired is of primary importance. As public employees, a fundamental premise of benefit design is the health & welfare benefits are the major component of the total compensation package.

The Benefits Committee takes the responsibility of securing high quality benefits for our members as a sacred trust. We believe that the health of our members equals the health of district; therefore the Benefits Committee of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District is dedicated to maximizing the quality of health and welfare dollars expended over the long-term for all employees, dependents, retirees equally.

We value fully-insured, humanitarian care, with flexible benefit design and choice of physician, while maintaining current premium percentage contribution rates.

All employees, eligible retires under and over 65 yrs.
All eligible dependents are covered
We value flexible benefit design and doctor choice
We value humanitarian care
We value being fully insured
Maximize quality of health and welfare dollars expended over the long term
We will maintain current premium percentage contribution rates

Sandy Asper
Dave Brees

THE NMUSD FROM MY POINT OF VIEW

The teachers are exceptional:
The Week of the Teacher

by Sandy Asper

Not too long ago it was THE WEEK OF THE TEACHER, and all the teachers received sweets, luncheons, nice notes, and in the case of the elementary teachers, hugs, sweet cards, and appreciation from some of their little students.

That week a teacher took a little boy into her room who was afraid to go out because someone called him names. She ate her lunch with him...for the rest of the week.

That week a teacher brought some clothes to school to give to a family that couldn't afford much, and her student needed new clothes.

That week a PE teacher bought new shoes for a student who couldn't afford "cool shoes".

That week a teacher stayed for two and a half hours to help a kid with homework that he didn't understand.

That week a hundred teachers listened to hundreds of parents talk about their children and their problems.

That week a teacher sat at her desk and cried about one of her students. That week a teacher was told that he had lost his job.

And that was only that week....THE WEEK OF THE TEACHER.