Parents get preview of Davis

Prospective Davis Magnet School students and their parents gathered Monday for one of their first looks at the new campus.

Principal Kevin Rafferty, just three weeks into his new post, gave the parents an overview of the new school. It is set to open this fall as the Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s first science, math and technology magnet, on the campus of Davis Elementary School.

The new magnet school is geared to serve all primary grade levels; construction is underway on a new kindergarten play area, which Rafferty called the largest he’s ever seen, and other modifications to the 1960s campus also are being made. Davis already has an excellent science lab, Rafferty said, as well as a music program and other perks that will stay when the school is converted this summer.

Candace Nakamura said her daughter Claire, who is going into fourth grade, loves science but didn’t have much opportunity to practice it in-depth at Newport Coast Elementary, where she attends.

Nakamura said she is willing to lengthen her commute to give Claire the chance to get into an intense science program.

The family is on the Davis wait list; interest in the school was much higher than administrators anticipated, Rafferty said.

Students at the current Davis school, which serves fourth through sixth grades, were given the first opportunity to join the magnet school when it launches. Those who didn’t want to participate in it will attend other local schools until they begin middle school.

Rafferty explained that Davis Magnet School teachers will still use the standard state- and district-used curriculum and standards, including course work in English and other subjects, while incorporating more experiential and hands-on teaching methods.

“The arts are something that are not going to get lost in the shuffle here,” Rafferty said.

The school’s hope will be to dovetail its focus on math, science and technology with the other subjects; for example, there would be emphasis on word problems in the mathematics curriculum, and children will create science notebooks to write down their thoughts and record observations.

Davis also plans to hold a science fest each year, Rafferty said.

Rafferty has been a principal for 13 years, and came to Davis after leading elementary schools and enhancing their math and science programs in the Capistrano Unified School District.

A colleague of his, who recently retired from teaching, has offered to spend time in the school’s classrooms; Rafferty also plans to bring in outside experts and parents in related industries for assemblies, lunch-and-learn opportunities, and other events.

Rafferty said a survey taken last year showed 82% of responding Newport-Mesa parents have Internet access in their home, so the school will offer opportunities for web-based learning and homework. Those students who do not have home Internet access will be able to use computers on-site.

Each teacher will be equipped with a laptop, projection device and document camera in their classroom, and grants, should they be approved, will equip upper-grade classrooms with net-book computers.

The school’s teachers will take part in Professional Learning Communities in which they will discuss issues with their colleagues and create common practices.

Rafferty also is putting together relationships with UCI that will train Davis teachers, pair UCI student teachers with Davis teachers, and potentially incorporate UCI-created student clubs in natural history, ecology, marine biology and other topics on the Davis campus.