Oxnard : 12 County Schools Suggested for Award

Twelve Ventura County elementary schools have been nominated for California’s Distinguished Schools Award in recognition of their outstanding educational programs.

Ventura Unified School District had six nominees, more than any other district in the county, officials said. They are Juanamaria, Junipero, Lincoln, Loma Vista, Portola and Saticoy elementary schools.

“We feel really good about it,” said Supt. Joseph Spirito of the nominations. “I think it shows we’re doing something right.”

Spirito said state representatives visited Loma Vista and Juanamaria schools Monday to conduct classroom evaluations. He said they plan to visit the other four schools today and Wednesday.

The superintendent noted that 10 schools in the Ventura district were honored four years ago with the state award, a record that remains unmatched in the county.

Other 1993 award nominees include Weathersfield School in the Conejo Valley Unified School District; Las Colinas and El Rancho schools in the Pleasant Valley Elementary School District; Richard Bard and Sunkist schools in the Hueneme Elementary School District; and Mar Vista school in Oxnard’s Ocean View Elementary School District.

The California Distinguished Schools Award was established in 1986 to honor those institutions that strive to develop a strong and innovative curriculum, said Norma Carolan, a state Department of Education official.

Of the more than 500 California schools that submitted applications for the award this year, only 206 were nominated, Carolan said. The winners will be announced in May.