Editorial

Often these days, schools make headlines as a result of violent acts.

Fortunately, the past week saw two wonderful headlines pop up.

In Corona del Mar, Harbor View Elementary School and Our Lady Queen of

Angels were named National Blue Ribbon Schools. Then a few days later,

the Orange County Department of Education named Costa Mesa High School

choral music teacher Jon Lindfors one of its four teachers of the year.

It’s just a shame these awards aren’t handed out until the end of May

every year. And it’s also too bad awards such as these aren’t given out

more often.

But awards such as these are great because they counter the bad news

that can occur any time at any school anywhere.

The awards also must remind school administrators and teachers why

they got into the education business in the first place.

“I’m overwhelmed,” Lindfors said after the county announced he was one

of four teachers of the year. “When I first started this and filled out

the application, I had no idea it would go this far.”

The 15-year veteran will also receive $15,000 as part of the award,

something that any teacher would welcome with open arms.

Meanwhile, the two Corona del Mar schools were blue not out of

sadness, but out of pure joy. And with good reason. The schools placed

blue ribbons and blue balloons everywhere.

“It’s such an exciting day,” said Karen Kendall, principal of Harbor

View Elementary School, the eighth school in the Newport-Mesa Unified

School District to earn the honor.

Kendall had a little more fun with the victory when she decided a fire

drill would be the best way to tell the students of their award.

“The children went nuts,” she said. “It was so cute.”

Now that’s the type of news we want to hear every time, everyplace and

everywhere.