TUSTIN : 2 Schools to Receive Excellence Awards

A.G. Currie Middle School and Foothill High School in the Tustin Unified School District have been selected to be among this year’s winners of the California Distinguished School award.

Winners were picked based on their school programs, the teaching and learning environment, and parent and community support. A team from the California Department of Education, which sponsors the annual competition, visited the schools earlier this year.

Nineteen other Orange County schools won the award. They will be honored at an awards ceremony Friday at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara. Each winning school will get a plaque and a Distinguished California School flag.

More than 180 middle and high schools throughout the state competed for the awards, which became an annual event in 1985 to encourage improvement of California schools.

“We’ve been striving to become a model multicultural school,” said A.G. Currie Principal Dan Brooks. “We’re thrilled to receive this award.”

The school was commended for such programs as Spanish information hot line, Bilingual Community Service Club, international fairs, parenting and adult English classes and partnerships with local businesses. The school has 1,000 students.

Foothill High School, located in an affluent area of North Tustin, was recognized for high student achievement. About 40% of the school’s 1,500 students are on the honor roll and 80% are involved in school activities. Its dropout rate is less than 1%.

About 93% of Foothill students attend college after graduation. The school’s academic decathlon team placed among the top three 20 times in county and state competitions.

“Our goal is to prepare students to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world,” said Foothill Principal Janis Jones, “while maintaining our tradition of excellence in academics, arts and athletics.”