DAVIS GIVES GREAT MARKS TO TARZANA ELEMENTARY.

Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer

TARZANA - Gov. Gray Davis unplugged from the energy crisis Friday to connect to a San Fernando Valley elementary school for its learning achievement.

Davis, in a personal visit with legislators and school dignitaries Friday, commended Tarzana Elementary School for exceeding his call for greater academic performance.

His prize: a $31,406 performance award - or $63 per student; between $5,000 and $25,000 for each teacher; and between $400 and $1,200 for each janitor, cook, clerk and coach on campus.

``I came here to highlight your phenomenal success,'' Davis told an excited, balloon-filled auditorium of hundreds of 4th and 5th graders, parents and teachers.

``Tarzana Elementary has done great - very few elementary schools in the state did better,'' he said. ``Your numbers are off the charts. And if you were playing for the Lakers you would be the leading scorer.''

The Tarzana formula is no mystery, Davis said. Hard work. Good teachers. A strong principal. And active, involved parents. ``That is the formula for a good school.''

Tarzana Elementary, like many San Fernando Valley schools, hustled to meet the governor's school performance reforms.

Last year the school's Academic Performance Index, an indicator of performance, shot up 107 points - eight times its growth target - notching the school from a low two rank to a respectable five among state schools. Among schools comprised of the same ethnic and income-level populations, Tarzana ranked an eight.

The Performance Awards Program, in its first year, awarded $227 million to 4,500 schools. Of the $21 million in bonuses awarded to Los Angeles Unified School District schools, one-third went to San Fernando Valley campuses.

Administrators and parents are thrilled.

State Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys, and school board trustee Julie Korenstein personally thanked the governor. Tarzana Elementary Principal Roberta Ann MacAdam praised teachers, staff and parents for their work.

``Our teachers worked diligently, they worked hard, they met after hours just so they could provide the experiences for your children so they could succeed,'' MacAdam said. ``But most of all the parents - you were there, you helped them, you came when we needed you, and you're wonderful parents. Thank you for your support.''

One by one, students stood up to thank Davis. Parents praised after- school and weekend classes and parents who cared enough to support their children. And Los Angeles schools' chief administrator praised not only the governor, but new programs to increase learning.

``I tell you, we have a focus in this district that we're going to put a full-court press on. And that is to improve our reading skills, and our math skills,'' said Superintendent Roy Romer, touting new programs in each discipline.

``It's instruction, it's instruction, it's instruction. And I tell you there's no better way to increase instruction than increase the skill levels of our teachers and administrators in this district.''

After the ceremony, Davis held a press conference largely devoted to pending solutions to the energy crisis. Among the highlights:

--Davis said he supports plans to win ``something of equal value'' - transmission lines, hydroelectric plants, or stock warrants - from the state's two utilities in exchange for helping them ward off bankruptcy.

``They pushed very hard for the flawed deregulation scheme of the '90s, so they should give something back,'' he said. ``Any bailout of the utilities should get equal compensation for the taxpayers.''

--Davis promised that Los Angeles' Department of Water and Power would be paid for the $250 million in excess energy sold to the state and its utilities to help prevent blackouts across the state.

``The whole purpose of my plan is to make the utilities viable,'' Davis said, when asked about the debt to the DWP.

--When asked about the environmental consequences of pushing power generation from older plants, Davis said, ``We are in an emergency, we have declared an emergency, and we will keep the lights on.''

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Gov. Gray Davis greets kids at Tarzana Elementary School after honoring them for gains in their Academic Performance Index rating.

(2 -- 3) Gov. Gray Davis, above, pats Tarzana Elementary School student Yehonathan Rubinstein on the head after giving the school a cash award for its improvement in the Academic Performance Index. Gov. Davis, left, addresses the Tarzana Elementary student body Friday.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer