Program Picks Somis Educator

The superintendent of a tiny school district outside Camarillo has been selected to travel around the United States to inspect schools nominated for a national education honor.

The U. S. Department of Education has named Dennis J. Convery, superintendent of the Mesa Union School District in Somis, as one of about 75 site visitors for the federal Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

As a site visitor, Convery will be assigned to travel to three schools nominated by their states to become Blue Ribbon schools.

His job will be to verify that the institutions have test scores, attendance records and other marks of academic performance matching their claims in their applications to the federal Department of Education.

Convery, who also served as a site visitor from 1998 through 1990, said he became involved with the Blue Ribbon Schools Program after Mesa Junior High School--one of the two schools in the 350-student Mesa district--received the honor in 1987.

Founded in the early 1980s to help quell growing criticism of public schools, the Blue Ribbon Schools Program has honored more than 2,000 of the nation’s 110,000 public schools for academic excellence and strong community involvement.

Convery said his willingness to volunteer for the program stems from his belief in the program’s importance to schools recognized as Blue Ribbon schools.

“It’s a great pat on the back to the teachers and employees,” he said. “It stays with you for a long time. It verifies the things you’re trying to do for kids.”