Countywide : 2 Schools Considered for National Honors

Two Orange County high schools, Corona del Mar and Marina in Huntington Beach, are among 273 schools in the nation being considered for honors as model high schools.

Junior and senior high schools apply for the National Secondary Schools Recognition Program by submitting applications to the top school administrators in their states. The administrators choose the leading 10 schools and submit applications to the U.S. Department of Education.

Several panels of educators screen the applications and choose which schools will be visited for closer examination. Afterward, reports on the schools are written and final decisions are made in June, with awards to be presented in September.

On Thursday, a reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education completed a two-day visit at Corona del Mar High, and next week another reviewer will spend several days at Marina High.

The reviewer, Ardys Heise, a retired high school teacher and college administrator, said her two days at Corona del Mar High were spent attending classes and visiting with students, parents, teachers and administrators to develop a feel for the school.

Although she declined to comment on how Corona del Mar High fared, Heise said she observed a high level of parent interest during her meetings with them. “The parents were very enthusiastic about what was happening with their children’s education,” Heise said.

Dennis Evans, principal at Corona del Mar High, said his students are a talented bunch who benefit from concerned parents and a stable faculty. The average teacher at Corona del Mar High has been with the school about 15 years. The key factor, according to Evans, is the “success-oriented community” the students live in. “A lot of times, your expectations have a lot to do with your achievement.”