Weekly roundup: New Irvine school debuts, ethnic studies curriculum sparks debate, and more

One brand new school opened in the Irvine Unified School District and one completely renovated campus reopened in the Ocean View School District this week.

Students entering Loma Ridge Elementary in Irvine got to meet their new teachers, as well a whole new school on Thursday. The Orange County Register included a slideshow of happy students stepping onto the new campus in the Portola Springs neighborhood. The 59,000-square-foot campus features a media center, collaboration spaces, dedicated music classrooms and outdoor learning areas, according to the Register.

Cluttered deskIn the same morning, Ocean View School District staff and community members gathered to celebrate the reopening of Westmont Elementary, the Daily Pilot reported.

The work at Westmont Elementary — newly renamed the Westmont Elementary Visual and Performing Arts Academy — included renovations of new flooring, paint, furniture and equipment to the main office and classrooms, according to the Daily Pilot. New fencing and gates also have been installed to increase campus security. Additionally, one of Westmont’s wings has been upgraded and modified to accommodate preschoolers.

Here are some other education related news stories from across the region for the week ending Aug. 23.

  • Most Americans believe K-12 schools deserve more money, the federal government should chip in a bigger share of education costs, and a college education — especially at community colleges — should be tuition-free, according a nationwide education poll.
  • The Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees has opted to initiate an appointment process to fill the vacant seat previously held by Gary Pritchard, whose four-year term representing Area 5 was set to expire in 2020.

This is the part where we encourage you to keep up with local education news stories by bookmarking the OCDE Newsroomsubscribing for emailed updates or following us on FacebookTwitter or Instagram.