Oak Park Middle School Nominated for U.S. Honor

Medea Creek Middle School in Oak Park and two other schools in western Ventura County have been nominated for Blue Ribbon awards, the highest federal honor bestowed on public schools, educators said Monday.

The two schools in the west county are Cabrillo Middle School in Ventura and Charles Blackstock School in Port Hueneme.

After receiving state awards for excellence last year, administrators at all three campuses knew they would likely be in the running for national recognition. Still, it was thrilling to receive the news, said Laurel Ann Ford, Medea Creek’s principal.

“Receiving last year’s award and this nomination is an affirmation from the outside that our work is good and important,” she said. “And that feedback will never grow old.”

Each school has been named a California Distinguished School--the top honor given by the state’s Department of Education.

Medea Creek received the honor in 1992 and 1994, as did Blackstock. Cabrillo was named a California Distinguished School last year. Winning that award made the schools eligible for the federal award, said Norma Carolan, a state education spokeswoman.

Just seven of Ventura County’s 180 public schools have won Blue Ribbons since the recognition program began in 1982, Carolan said. If Medea Creek wins one, it will be the third school in the tiny, six-school Oak Park Unified School District to receive the honor.

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Applications from 44 California middle schools, junior high schools and high schools were forwarded to the U.S. Department of Education’s school recognition program, Carolan said.

She said Ventura County’s Blue Ribbon candidates should know by early June whether they have advanced to the next level: a visit to their school by national education officials.

Winners of the Blue Ribbon will be announced in December, Carolan said.

The award panel announced that this year it would concentrate on schools with excellent technology programs and high parental involvement. The emphasis on technology made Blackstock School a natural contender for the award, said Principal Robin Green.

In 1990, Blackstock received money to start a high-technology program. Ten classrooms have been equipped with state-of-the-art learning technology, she said.

Students have access to computers, laser discs, CD-ROMs, scanners and other electronic equipment geared to enhance teaching, Green said. The school also puts an emphasis on training teachers about the latest technologies and curriculum.

The use of electronic wizardry also helped Medea Creek get nominated, Ford said. Its computer and technology labs include a flight simulator, laser discs, computers and electronic and sound equipment.

Teachers are trained on the gadgets right along with the students, she said. And the school makes every effort to help children succeed at learning, giving them several opportunities to resubmit schoolwork instead of just being given an F.

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Cabrillo’s principal, Kris Bergstrom, believes her school is outstanding because the staff combines traditional and innovative methods of teaching.

In eighth grade, for instance, students learn about ancient explorers in social studies, read a book on the subject and do a math project on navigation, she said.

The nomination for the national award is encouraging, Bergstrom said, because it “confirms the efforts of our teaching staff and our school community.”