Oak Park schools hailed as ‘distinguished’


TOPS IN EDUCATION—From left, Nina Ericksen of California Casualty, the award's sponsor, is at the Medea Creek campus to present Principal Brad Benioff and sixth-grade humanities teacher Michael O’Hagan with a 2019 Distinguished School banner.

TOPS IN EDUCATION—From left, Nina Ericksen of California Casualty, the award’s sponsor, is at the Medea Creek campus to present Principal Brad Benioff and sixth-grade humanities teacher Michael O’Hagan with a 2019 Distinguished School banner.

Oak Park High School and Medea Creek Middle School were recently named as 2019 California Distinguished Schools, applauded for making gains in the area of academics and performance standards.

The 162 schools across the state that won the award were recognized for achieving exceptional student performance for two consecutive years, or for closing the achievement gap during the previous two school years.

Eighteen school districts were also named Exemplary Districts.

Medea Creek School states that learning should be meaningful and challenging, that all students should succeed, and that everyone is expected to do their best in an atmosphere where they feel safe and are known and appreciated as unique individuals.

As the presenting sponsor, California Casualty field marketing manager Nina Ericksen handed over the Distinguished School banner to Medea Creek Principal Bradley Benioff.