5 schools earn top award

Five Newport-Mesa Unified School District elementary schools were recognized as California Distinguished Schools on Wednesday — the state’s top honor. About 5% of the state’s public schools win the award each year.

Eastbluff, Anderson, Harbor View, Killybrooke and Sonora Elementary won the award, announced the state Supt. Jack O’Connell. The state names 343 elementary schools from 189 school districts as distinguished schools.

“It’s a feather in the cap for all the people in the district who are working hard to earn that recognition,” school board member Walt Davenport said. “I can’t attribute it to anything other than the caliber of the personnel working at these schools.”

To earn the distinction, the schools had to exceed their Academic Performance Index target and meet the standard set on No Child Left Behind’s Adequate Yearly Progress Report.

But school board member Dave Brooks said that while test scores are an important goal, the award is actually a testament to those working at the school as well as the substantial parental involvement these schools have.

“We are very proud, especially to have five,” Brooks said. “It is kind of an unwritten rule that no school district receives more than four. It is a real validation of the teachers, office help, parent volunteers and others. It’s a whole team effort to become a distinguished school.”

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at daniel.tedford@latimes.com.