In the running for Distinguished award
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers UNDER CONSIDERATION- Monte Vista sixth-grade math and science teacher Kate Fisher teaches problem solving on Wednesday. Monte Vista is among three schools in the county to reach the final stage in competition for honors as a California Distinguished School.

Monte Vista Middle School may be joining an elite group. It's one of a select few in the state that could be named a 2007 California Distinguished School, officials said last week.

About 5 percent of schools statewide are chosen for the California Distinguished honor. To be eligible for the annual award, schools must meet a variety of federal and state eligibility criteria in line with the No Child Left Behind Act.

"We're very proud to be amongst many of the top middle schools of the state; our teachers and students have worked very hard to get to this point," said Sara Davis, principal. "We're honored to be recognized for that effort."

Monte Vista is one of only three Ventura County schools to have reached the final stage- an on-site visit from an evaluation committee- before the California Department of Education selects the winners next month, said Michael Babb, director of curriculum for the Ventura County Office of Education.

The committee is scheduled to visit the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade school March 28.

"They're the champions of the champions," Babb said. "They have a lot to be proud of because it's a difficult process."

Babb would not name the two other schools, because he was not sure if their candidacy for the fouryear award had been announced.

The state education agency had invited six middle and five high schools in Ventura County to apply for the prestigious honor. But only three earned a visit from the evaluation committee to confirm information submitted on the application, he said.

Candidate schools must be invited by the state agency to apply for the award. They have to fill out a lengthy application that should include input from parents, school staff and several teachers and provide details about their programs, what makes them unique and how they are tailored to meet the needs of the students, Babb said.

"It's a wonderful award for the whole staff," Superintendent Ken Moffett said.

School administrators and teachers from the winning schools will be honored in a ceremony in May.

Monte Vista was named a California Distinguished School in 1994. The annual award is given out to elementary schools in alternate years.