Council Member Sandra Genis and members of the city staff attended the opening of the 35th Annual USVA Tet Festival this past weekend at the OC Fair and Event Center.

Costa Mesa was once again home the world’s largest Tet Festival, attracting over 60,000 guests to the three-day event.

Featuring culturally enriching attractions, live entertainment, festive games and rides, a variety of ethnic foods, and a spectacular firecrackers show, the festival celebrated the Lunar New Year and the “Year of the Monkey.”

UVSA is a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-partisan, community-based organization founded in 1982 to bring together Vietnamese American youth including students from different colleges and high schools throughout Southern California.

The festival serves as a vehicle to help develop student volunteers in the community to become well-rounded leaders with a strong sense of cultural awareness and civic responsibility to improve their communities.

Over the past 15 years, UVSA’s members have awarded over $1.25 million of festival proceeds as community grants to non-profit organizations across Southern California.

In 2014, the city captured a Measure M2 grant to improve three bus stops located at Harbor Boulevard/Victoria Street, Harbor Boulevard/Wilson Street, and Wilson Street/Harbor Boulevard.

Unique Performance Construction, Inc. has been awarded a contract in the amount of $79,820 to complete the work.

The work to be performed consists of the installation of new bus shelters, bus benches and associated amenities.

Also included is the removal of the existing sidewalk and installation of a new decorative sidewalk.

Coordination with Edison and AT&T has taken place regarding adjustments to their facilities and work is now scheduled to begin.

Construction is anticipated to take approximately one month.

Mesa Minute is being distributed through the High School’s Peachjar program. If you have a student registered at CMHS/MS, you are automatically getting this bi-weekly newsletter to the parent emails established in the CMHS/MS database. Click on the button on the right to be linked to the rest of the newsletter. They will be available on schoolloop. Please email vhatch@nmusd.us for any subscription issues. Mesa Minute can also be viewed on cmhs.schoolloop.com.

No School
There will be no school on:
February 15th—19th for Presidents Recess

Mesa High/Middle School Newsletter

Lunch & Learn Engineering & Manufacturing
February 24, 2016 during lunch in the library
Enjoy pizza while you hear about the various career pathways available in engineering and manufacturing from professionals who have the up-to-date insight
RSVP with Ms. Allie Hatch or Mrs. Mary Harrison (schoolloop, in person, phone) to reserve your pizza!

COSTA MESA ZONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

CMHS/MS Tutoring
Tutoring is available Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:00 p.m.—5:00 p.m. in the Room 146. Students interested in applying to be a tutor can get an application in the College & Career Center and the Community Service Office. For questions please contact Allie Hatch.

COSTA MESA ZONE SCHOOLS PARTICIPATE IN THE HOUR OF CODE!
All of the schools in the Costa Mesa Zone participated in the Hour of Code on December 9, 2015. All students had the opportunity to do computer programming. Computer programming is important for our students. It will help them learn the skills needed for their future.

A BIG “SHOUT OUT” GOES TO DAVIS MAGNET SCHOOL STUDENTS!
A Shout Out is the new form of positive reinforcement that is sweeping across the Davis Magnet School campus. Students may earn Shout Outs when caught following the school’s five core values. Upon receiving a Shout Out, students turn in the white copy of the duplicate form to the grade level appropriate box in the front office. The yellow copy is shared with the class and/or sent home to parents. On the last Thursday of every month Mrs. Flores randomly selects two student names from every grade level box to be recognized at flag deck. Those students receive a special certificate and have their picture taken. The pictures are then on display for the remainder of the year. Davis Magnet School is in Tier II of PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports). After several meetings, discussions, and observations the staff created the school wide positive reinforcement system. Shout Out to the Davis staff for their collaboration and to our students for making good choices!

MS/HS STUDENT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Scholarship Information
Scholarship Searching Video Tutorial:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueqYuYjBzbU
This quick video overviews:
• three types of funding for college
• scholarship searching
• how to search for scholarships on Naviance
Scholarship of the Week
John R. Wooden Scholarship Deadline24, 2016
Possible award: varies
The John R. Wooden Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to students who have demonstrated a commitment to community involvement and for whom higher education might otherwise not be possible without financial assistance.
Criteria:
• U.S. citizen
• High school senior graduating from Newport Mesa School District
• GPA 2.0 or higher
• Plan to enroll as a full-time student at an accredited institution or as a part-time student if employed
• Demonstrate a strong pattern of community involvement, such as volunteer work and active participation in school clubs, church, etc.
• Financial need may be considered. If you choose to not enter financial information you may enter a “0”
See this link to find out about the eligibility criteria and complete the application:https://oc-cf.academicworks.com/opportunities/886
For the rest of the list, please see the Naviance websitehttps://connection.naviance.com/family-connection/auth/login/?hsid=costamesastudent sign in is the same login that they use for the school computers. If you are a parent and do not yet have a Naviance Parent log-in you can email Allison Hatch and she can get you a username and password.
Seniors
4 year university pathway: close attention to your emails so you don’t miss any important or information. Don’t forget to send your SAT/ACT and AP scores.
Community College pathway: It is time to apply! Go to cccapply.org to start your application. If you apply to Golden West, Orange Coast, or Coastline you can take the placement test here on our campus! See the attached form for directions on how to register.
FAFSA/Dream Act: All seniors thinking about going to any kind of higher education need to apply for either the FAFSA or Dream Act. Complete the application by March 2, 2016.
Senior Exit Project Internship: If you haven’t completed your 20 hour job shadow/internship yet you need to start thinking about it.
Stop by the College & Career Center ASAP to get help

TER AND ROP ND ROP ANNOUNCEMENTS

Juniors
If you are interested in applying to 4 year universities remember you need to complete the A-G requirements, have a 3.0 or higher (see eligibility index for CSU with 2.0), have C’s or higher, and complete at least one SAT or ACT test.
It is recommended that you take at least one SAT or ACT test the spring of your junior year and one the fall of your senior year.
Utilize Naviance for career and college exploration and planning!
For more information check out:http://cmhs.schoolloop.com/collegeandcareercenter
Stop by the College & Career Center to make an appointment to discuss college & career options
Reminders!!
Follow Counseling on social media and get updates and reminders about important events deadlines!
www.cmhs.schoolloop.com/costamesa
Instagram @cmhsnextsteps
Facebookwww.facebook.com/cmhsnextsteps
Remind 101 Text Messages Text message @cmhs15-16 to the number 81010 to get text message reminders
Featured ROP Student – January—Susan Bravo

Susan Bravo is one busy senior. She is currently enrolled in the ROP Certified Nursing Assistant course and upon completion will be taking the State CNA test for her license. She has registered for EMT in the spring and will have the opportunity to take the state EMT test at the same time that she graduates from CMHS. Wow! A CNA and EMT license. That is pretty amazing! As if that wasn’t enough on her resume, she has completed the ROP Animal Healthcare class and interned at a local animal hospital/clinic. She says that experience was quite interesting and fun as she worked with pigs, ferrets, chickens, and exotic birds.
After graduation, Susan has applied to several colleges in hopes of continuing her education in the medical field, possibly as a nurse practitioner.
Susan says the ROP classes have offered her a hands on experience and that her CNA internship has taught her much. In caring for these elderly patients she has discovered that, “It’s not like a job. I look at it like I am carry for someone’s family member. And someday, it could be one of mine.” Susan is definitely a stand out student and person! Many ROP spring classes are still open for enrollment and several will be offered during the summer. Come into the career center today and pick up a catalog. Susan Bravo

Students at College Park Elementary participate in the Hour of Code on December 9th.

ASB made great signs to hang on the library walls and lined the sidewalk to the gym!

The Costa Mesa City Council wants you to get involved and is seeking residents to serve on the following city committees:

Bikeway and Walkability Committee: This 15-member committee assists with the review, update and implementation of the city’s Master Plan of Bikeways. The committee, which meets monthly, also assists in the evaluation of bikeways and pedestrian pathways in order to make recommendations for their improvement to the City Council. It has three (3) regular member vacancies, for one-year terms. For further information, please contact Raja Sethuraman at (714) 754-5032.

Cultural Arts Committee: This 11-member committee, which meets monthly, works to promote the city’s slogan, “Costa Mesa City of the Arts.” The committee supports local cultural arts programs and brings art awareness to the residents of Costa Mesa by establishing programs, events and initiatives to better help residents access the arts. It has three (3) regular member vacancies and one (1) alternate member vacancy, all for two-year terms. For further information, please contact Justin Martin at (714) 754-5065.

Historical Preservation Committee: This 11-member committee, which meets monthly, serves to maintain, preserve, educate and promote the city’s historical resources. It has five (5) regular member vacancies and two (2) alternate member vacancies, all for two-year terms. For further information, please contact Justin Martin at (714) 754-5065.

Finance Advisory Committee: This 11-member committee, which meets monthly, provides advice to the City Council regarding events and issues that may affect the financial status of the City. It has nine (9) regular member vacancies for two-year terms. For further information, please contact Kathy Ulrich at (714) 754-5243.

Housing and Public Service Grant Committee: This 11-member resident advisory committee, which meets on an as-needed basis, helps to promote community understanding of the community development process and activities funded by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD), and Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). Additionally, the committee rates and ranks applications for CDBG public service grants, ultimately developing funding recommendations for City Council consideration. It has four (4) regular member vacancies, two (2) for two-year terms and two (2) for one-year terms. For further information, please contact Mike Linares at (714) 754-5678.

Pension Oversight Committee: This nine-member committee, which meets monthly, focuses on long-term pension and financial matters as it pertains to the city’s CalPERS retirement, unfunded pension obligations and unfunded medical liabilities. It has one (1) regular member vacancy, for a one-year term. For further information, please contact Ray Hull at (714) 754-5227.

Residents who are interested in getting involved in local government are encouraged to complete a Committee Application Form from the City Clerk’s Office or from the City’s website (www.costamesaca.gov/apply).

The completed application may be submitted online; mailed to Costa Mesa City Clerk at Post Office Box 1200, Costa Mesa, California, 92628-1200; faxed to (714) 754-4942; or hand-delivered to the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa.

The deadline is 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 19, 2016. Appointments are tentatively scheduled for the March 15, 2016 City Council meeting.

For further information regarding committee appointments, please contact the City Clerk’s office at (714) 754-5225 or cityclerk@costamesaca.gov.

Hank Lloyd, a longtime Orange County tennis professional who has run the Costa Mesa Tennis Center since 1999, received the Southern California Tennis Associations’ Curt Condon Spirit Award on Monday Feb. 1.

Given to an individual who has gone above and beyond in their promotion of tennis, the award was presented at the SCTA’s annual meeting in the Straus Clubhouse at the Los Angeles Tennis Center on the UCLA campus, just west of Pauley Pavilion.

Lloyd said winning the award was especially meaningful to him because it was named after his longtime friend Curt Condon.

“He was inspirational and very spiritual,” Lloyd said.

Lloyd grew up in Fullerton and played tennis at Sunny Hills High school. He spent 1977 and 1978 on the Pro Circuit tour after graduating from San Jose State University.

“I can’t imagine doing anything else,” he said of his tennis career.

Trevor Kronemann, the SCTA’s director of junior tennis, wrote Lloyd in a letter informing him of the honor.

“You have set by virtue of your exemplary conduct, leadership and expertise while coaching, directing tournaments and organizing events has earned you this substantial honor. Your favorable example has provided today’s players with an environment in which they can compete and excel.”

Come check out the Costa Mesa High School Drama department’s presentation of Shrek The Musical at the Costa Mesa High School Performing Arts Center located at 2650 Fairview Road.

The production will run March 4 through March 13 with Friday and Saturday shows beginning at 7 p.m. and Sunday showings at 4 p.m.

Tickets will be $15 for adults, $10 with ASB and $8 for children 12 and under.

Costa Mesa’s Parks and Community Services Department has been chosen for the 2015 California Park & Recreation Society Award of Excellence for Environmental Stewardship for its Ranch Afterschool Program.

The Ranch Afterschool Program’s collaboration with the OC Fair & Event Center, the City of Costa Mesa, and the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, aids in providing a unique after school experience in which students focus on agricultural concepts like gardening, livestock, and leather working.

“The Parks and Community Services Department is honored to receive the California Parks and Recreation Society’s (CPRS) Award of Excellence in Environmental Stewardship, for the Ranch After-School Program,” said Ashley Ocasio, the city’s assistant recreation supervisor. “Children enrolled in this unique program learn first-hand what it means to be a farmer through lessons learned by cultivating farm land, gardening, raising and caring for livestock and creating leather crafts.”

The students have a hands-on experience caring for animals on the Farm which includes: chickens, sheep, pigs, goats, llamas, cattle, and horses. They learn responsible animal care by cleaning stalls, grooming, and exercising the animals.

Additionally, the Farm dedicates land for each student to create and maintain an individual garden. Students’ gardening responsibilities include planting, watering, fertilizing, weeding, inspecting for pests and harvesting their plot.

Agricultural education helps children learn about healthy food choices and teaches them different ways to access fresh fruits and vegetables.  Most importantly, students begin to understand the deep impact agriculture has in their lives past, future and present.

“This free program is a true collaboration and would not be possible without the support of the Orange County Fairgrounds,” Ocasio said.  “This strategic partnership provides many Costa Mesa youth the opportunity to experience an unique after-school program, in which the focus in on agriculture and farming”

The California Park & Recreation Society awards program recognizes outstanding achievement in the areas of facility design, park planning, marketing and communication, and community improvement and programming through demonstrating the principals of resourcefulness, execution, accomplishment and alignment with the parks and recreation mission.

The presentation of awards will take place at the annual Awards Recognition Banquet scheduled for Friday, March 11, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Mayor Steve Mensinger and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer and members of the city staff attended South Coast Plaza’s opening celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year on Wednesday Feb. 3 at South Coast Plaza.

Deemed the “Year of the Monkey,” this is the seventh year that South Coast Plaza has chosen to celebrate the event that was headlined by the shopping center’s head of international marketing, Werner Escher.

Also attending from South Coast Plaza were Anton and Sally Segerstrom, David Grant and Debra Gunn-Downing as well as dignitaries from around the county, including county supervisor Lisa Bartlett and Michelle Steel.

The festivities included samplings of traditional Chinese cuisine and formal Chinese dragon dancers.

On Saturday Feb. 6, state officials will hold a public hearing on the future of the Fairview Developmental Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hearing will take place at the center’s auditorium at 2501 Harbor Blvd.

Click here for the agenda.

City staff will be in attendance at this important meeting, and the City Council voted in October on its recommended uses for this land. The city’s planning staff has conveyed that to state officials verbally and in this letter.

The recommendations are to be incorporated into the city’s General Plan this year.

The city is recommending a mix of residential, open space and institutional uses, complementary to the Costa Mesa Country Club Golf Course and surrounding residential neighborhoods.

The city is also recommending that the maximum residential density for Fairview would be 15 to 25 dwelling units per acre, with a maximum number of 500 residential units for the entire site.

Additional housing units may be built, as long as they meet the density bonus provisions pursuant to state law.

At least 25 percent of the site will be dedicated to open space. The inclusion of institutional uses—such as public and private recreational facilities, sports parks, community centers, public facilities, and other similar uses—are also being recommended.

Today is the last day to register for the Costa Mesa Senior Center’s Sweetheart Dance on Friday, Feb. 12, 2016.

The event will go from 4-6 p.m. and will feature live music by entertainers Jim and Christina Starr.

Entry cost is $10 per person and includes a delicious dinner. Reservations will be accepted through today or until the event is full. Tickets will not be sold at the door.

The event will take place at the City of Costa Mesa Senior Center located at 695 W. 19th Street.

Reservations must be made in person and are required for entry.

Event is open to ages 50 and over. Please call (714) 327-7550 for additional information.

The Costa Mesa Police Department has two new sergeants today as veteran officers Bang Le and Jimmy Brown were sworn in Thursday outside Chief Rob Sharpnack’s office.

“We couldn’t be prouder of these two individuals,” Chief Sharpnack told the crowd, which included Mayor Steve Mensinger, several top ranking officers and police staff and family members who had gathered in support.

Le is a Garden Grove native who joined the department in 2000 and was the first in his family to pursue a career in law enforcement, Sharpnack said.

Brown was born and raised in Orange and also started his law enforcement career in the year 2000, first joining the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He became a Costa Mesa officer in 2005.

http://cityofcostamesanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/MVI_5210.mp4

Le thanked the chief and his fellow officers for entrusting him and Brown with these leadership roles.

“It’s something we take seriously and we promise we won’t let you down,” Le said. “It’s a privilege and honor to carry on the great traditions of this department.”

Brown also welcomed the challenge.

“I look forward to leading the next generation and moving forward with the department,” he said.

During the badge pinning, both men had their children do the honors, with Brown having his daughter pin his badge and Le had both his son and daughter take part in the ceremony.

Sharpnack pointed out how important the families are to these officers and others in the department and he thanked them for their support. And he reiterated that these promotions are symbolic of where the Costa Mesa Police Department is headed in the future.

“Our department is on the rise,” he said. “And we are going to seek excellence in all we do.”

Mayor Steve Mensinger presented former Costa Mesa Police Chief Roger Neth with the Mayor’s Award at the Tuesday Feb. 2, 2016 City Council meeting.

Mensinger noted that Neth was an instrumental figure in the formative years of the Police Department, bringing innovative technology and other best practices to the Costa Mesa Police Department.

Not only was he one of the first three officers hired by the City, but he is credited as being the very first officer on patrol.

And with 22 years at the helm of the Department, Neth is Costa Mesa’s longest tenured Police Chief.

Below is a video clip highlighting Neth’s career.

“I’d like to thank Mayor Mensinger for this honor tonight,” Neth said. “I’m very proud to receive it.”

Neth said the city’s first Police Chief Arthur McKenzie, who urged the officers to follow three principles: be innovative, be progressive and above all be professional.

“We were a new police department so we didn’t have to change old methods,” he said Tuesday night.  “We built on those three principles.”