At Bedell School, a Job Well Done

Exceptional Schools Don’t Just Happen!

Upon hearing that Thelma Bedell School is receiving the California Distinguished School Award, we as former school board members would like to congratulate those involved in the development of the school over the last three or four years.

As memory serves us, it began with the citizens of Santa Paula, who as part of the district’s Task Force 2000, recommended creating magnet schools; and Bedell became one of them. It developed as an environmental and educational technology magnet. At one time it was one of two elementary schools in the nation that began using the LinkWay Program in which students, using a variety of themes, created multimedia folders that included pictures, text and special effects. As an environmental magnet, it has a life lab garden, planting bed for each classroom, a pond, worm boxes and composting beds. This took years to develop.

We would like to congratulate the teachers whose hard work deserves the credit for this achievement. We remember such dedicated teachers as Leslie Borchard, Jeri Mead and Diane Salerno, who went over and beyond the call of duty. Thank you for your efforts--the citizens of Santa Paula are truly proud of the entire staff.

Thanks also goes to Glenn Deines, the principal at Bedell during the development of this magnet. We remember your first year at Bedell when we put two schools on one campus and you made it into a unified school. Your guidance over the years, your patience and continued focused direction for the school paid off. Your receiving an administrative excellence award from your state administrator peers is well deserved. You are an outstanding principal and we are pleased that you work for our children.

A thank you also to the former superintendent, Dave Phillips, who started Task Force 2000 and who supported the district magnet concept by bringing technology to our district and to Bedell. You supported the environmental theme by attending and teaching at the school’s annual fifth-grade week at the Environmental Outdoor School. Also, your encouragement of the teachers has led to local and state awards for many of our teachers in the last few years.

Congratulations to our parents--120 who cared enough to volunteer and have received awards for the time that they gave to the school--your caring love has made a difference in your school. It shows that when parents care, you do have an award-winning school.

And, finally, the boys and girls of Bedell--without you and your hard work this award would not be possible. You are at a school with caring parents, teachers and administrators.

We all are so lucky to have the schools we have in Santa Paula!

EUGENE E. MARZEC

and JOE BRAVO

Former school board members

Santa Paula