Newport Mesa Superintendent Will Meet Community Via Zoom Thursday

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — Parents and community members are invited to meet with Dr. Wesley Smith, Newport Mesa Unified School District's new superintendent, via Zoom on Thursday.

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce is hosting Smith as part of its "WAKE UP! Newport" series. He'll speak on the district's upcoming programs and developments, and on how COVID-19 continues to impact schools.

Though he's new to the district, Smith has worked in California public education for 24 years, including 13 years as a site or district leader and eight years as an educator and influencer at the state and federal levels.

A current adjunct professor at the University of Southern California's doctoral program, Smith recently served as executive director of the Association of California School Administrators before joining Newport Mesa.

Registration is required, and can be done here. The event is free and open to the public, and it will begin at 7:45 a.m. Pacific time.

Chamber officials describe "WAKE UP! Newport" as "a FREE opportunity to meet one on one with legislative and government officials and stay current on local, state and federal issues."

Each event features a guest speaker and will help the community stay informed, officials said.