A School’s Sweat Pays Off

With the crowning achievements of Irvine schools all around it, University Park Elementary sometimes feels like a tarnished gem.

Its statewide rankings, though good overall, are among the lowest in the high-achieving district, partly because of the 21 languages spoken by students there. It has no program for gifted and talented students but offers strong courses for youngsters with learning disabilities and those with limited English skills.

Nearly half of its teachers have gotten layoff notices.

And while 19 other Irvine schools have received statewide recognition for academic achievement and teaching in the last 15 years, University Park got its first nod Monday.

The California Department of Education named University Park one of 233 Distinguished Elementary Schools in the state Monday, confirming what teachers, students and parents already know about a campus that can be overlooked in such a high-achieving district.

“We’re not a traditional setting, but it works for us,” said third-grade teacher Heather Sievers. “In Irvine, I think we’re the most diverse school. We’re not the typical Irvine picture people have in their heads.”

The annual award, which alternates between elementary and secondary schools, singles out campuses for such things as academics, teaching and parent involvement. The selection process includes a lengthy application and visits by state officials. In Orange County, 21 elementary schools received the Distinguished School designation this year.

“We’ve been a great school for many years,” said University Park Principal Craig Ritter. “Still, it’s nice to be validated in a public way.”

Ritter said the school’s application emphasized its diversity, making note of the 28 nationalities on a campus where 40% of students don’t speak English at home.

Notice of the award came on the eve of today’s special election in Irvine, in which voters are asked to approve a $95-per-parcel tax to help compensate for the school district’s $4-million budget shortfall.

The Irvine school board has sent layoff notices to more than 200 teachers, including 14 of University Park’s 29, Ritter said.

In a beginning music class at University Park--one of several enrichment courses slated for extinction districtwide should the parcel tax fail--fifth-graders were well aware of the election.

“I hope Proposition A passes, because if it doesn’t we’re going to lose our teachers,” said budding flutist Danielle Gvili, 11.

Still, the prospect of losing teachers and cherished music and science programs couldn’t overshadow the good news.

“We’ve tried to defer the worry until after the election,” Ritter said.

Ritter announced the school’s winning results on the intercom system Monday morning to shrieks and cheers.

“We were doing silent reading,” Sievers said. “It wasn’t so silent anymore.”

Students praised University Park’s teachers and activities, such as Wednesday’s planned Greek marketplace, in which students will don bedsheet togas and sell handmade trinkets to one another for play money.

“I really enjoy the teachers here, and I really like all the activities we have,” said third-grader Natalya Rahmann.

In Pamela Sato’s English Language Development class for grades four to six, students from 11 countries learned about Greece in preparation for Wednesday.

One new vocabulary word was “peninsula,” which students struggled to define as “almost an island” before finally hitting on “it has water on three sides.”

“Somebody’s country in this classroom is a peninsula. Which one is it?” Sato asked her class.

Several students called out the name of their homeland: “Korea!”

“They’re learning how to appreciate other cultures at a young age,” Sato said. “It’s the best situation.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Top of Their Class

Orange County has 21 winners of the California Distinguished Schools Award among the 233 statewide. This year’s awards were given to elementary schools only; secondary schools are honored on alternate years.

*--*

DISTRICT SCHOOL Buena Park Unified Arthur F. Corey Elementary Capistrano Unified Del Obispo Elementary Capistrano Unified Marian Bergeson Elementary Capistrano Unified Oak Grove Elementary Huntington Beach City William E. Kettler Elementary Irvine Unified Springbrook Elementary Irvine Unified University Park Elementary Los Alamitos Unified Francis Hopkinson Elementary Los Alamitos Unified McGaugh Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Harbor View Elementary Newport Mesa Unified Heinz Kaiser Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Killybrooke Elementary Newport-Mesa Unified Victoria Elementary Ocean View Elementary College View Elementary Ocean View Elementary Village View Elementary Orange Unified Chapman Hills Elementary Orange Unified Crescent Primary Orange Unified McPherson Magnet Orange Unified Panorama Elementary Saddleback Valley Unified Montevideo Elementary Tustin Unified Arroyo Elementary

*--*

Source: California Dept. of Education