ROWLAND UNIFIED SCHOOLS RECEIVE STATE’S HIGHEST HONOR
AS 2017 GOLD RIBBON SCHOOLS
Rowland High School and Alvarado Intermediate Named
ROWLAND HEIGHTS, CA – APRIL 20, 2017 – Rowland Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Julie Mitchell announced today that two secondary schools – John A. Rowland High School and Alvarado Intermediate – were named by the California Department of Education as 2017 Gold Ribbon Schools, the state’s highest designation for outstanding educational programs and practices.
“The Board of Education and I are extremely proud of our schools selected for the Gold Ribbon recognition, as these schools exemplify the innovative and student centered learning environments that are throughout the Rowland Unified School District,” said Mitchell. “Recognitions such as the Gold Ribbon are made possible through the hard work and dedication of all of our educators and staff, working in partnership with our parents and community. The Board of Education and I are elated to congratulate them for this outstanding achievement and recognition.”
The California Gold Ribbon Schools Award was created to honor schools in place of the California Distinguished Schools Program, which is on hiatus while California creates new assessment and accountability systems. More than 450 middle and high schools applied this year. These schools represent examples of not just excellent teaching, learning, and collaborating, but also highly successful school climate efforts, ranging from real time conflict resolution to positive behavior intervention.
John A. Rowland High School was selected for creating their “Raiders for Higher Success” program, as a way to bring underrepresented students into higher level courses. This effort involves recruitment of students, parent involvement and academic and socio-emotional support. A cohort pathway within the history department was created to move students towards accessing honors and Advanced Placement courses. It merged with the Achievement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program bringing positive results to the school in many areas such as increased rates for A to G completion, higher enrollment within the Advanced Placement program, and continued success on outcomes of grades and AP pass rate.
“Rowland High School is very excited to be recognized for our hard work around the “Raiders for Higher Success” program. This award highlights the high expectations and value that we place on all students, and the effort that we give to support them in meeting their potential,” said Rowland High School Principal Mitch Brunyer.
John A. Rowland High School is located at 2000 S. Otterbein Ave., Rowland Heights www.Rowlandhs.org Principal: Mitch Brunyer can be reached at (626)965-3448.
Alvarado Intermediate was awarded the Gold Ribbon for their inquiry based instructional model that is used by their Science teachers. This unique approach is a much more hands-on experience for Alvarado's students and the level of engagement in Science, along with correlating student achievement, is a bright spot on their campus.
"Alvarado has now received the very prestigious Gold Ribbon Award and has been re-designated as a State Schools To Watch in the same school year, which is quite an honor! This is a testament to all of the hard work of our dedicated staff members, the world's greatest students and families, and a supportive district leadership team. We look to continue to build upon all of the amazing things that are happening at AIS and strive to become better each and every day. GO MATADORS," said Alvarado Principal Scott Cavanias.
Alvarado Intermediate School is located at 1901 S. Desire Ave., Rowland Heights www.alvaradoschool.org Principal: Scott Cavanias can be reached at (626)964-2358.
The Gold Ribbon Awards recognize California schools that have made gains in implementing the academic content and performance standards adopted by the State Board of Education. These include the California Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics, California English Language Development Standards, and Next Generation Science Standards. Schools applied for the award based on a model program their school has adopted that includes standards-based activities, projects, strategies, and practices that can be replicated by other local educational agencies. Please visit the California Gold Ribbon Schools Program on the California Department of Education’s (CDE’s) Web site.
The Rowland Unified School District has garnered numerous state and national awards and is proud of its 19 schools with 15,000 students in the communities of Rowland Heights, Walnut, La Puente, City of Industry, and West Covina. More than 5,000 adults (16+) are also served by the Rowland Adult and Community Education School. For more information about Rowland Unified, the community can call (626) 965-2541 or download the free Rowland USD Mobile App for iOS and Android phones/devices that has news, school calendars, a safety Tip Line, and helpful parent and District resources. The public can also follow Rowland schools on Facebook.com/RowlandUSD Twitter @RowlandSchools or visit www.RowlandSchools.org.
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