19 San Bernardino County elementary schools earn Distinguished Schools Status

Nineteen elementary schools from 10 San Bernardino County districts have been named California Distinguished Schools, according to a news release from the California Department of Education.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced a total of 323 elementary schools being honored under the 2020 California Distinguished Schools Award Program. Sponsored by the California Department of Education and presented by California Casualty, the program recognizes outstanding education programs and practices. Schools are awarded for closing the achievement gap and for achieving exceptional student performance.

“We are very proud of the outstanding academic achievement and culture of collaboration that theses schools have exhibited as California Distinguished Schools,” County Superintendent Ted Alejandre said. “Congratulations to the teachers, administrators and staff, as well as the parents and community members, who support these terrific schools.”

A component of the California School Recognition Program, the Distinguished Schools program recognizes schools based on performance and progress on the state indicators as specified on the California School Dashboard. Indicators include test scores, suspension rates, and conditions and climate. Elementary schools and middle and high schools are recognized in alternate years; therefore, awardees hold the title for two years.

“These outstanding schools don’t just educate students; they also provide the young people of California the tools they need to be successful after graduation,” Thurmond said. “Thanks go to all the staff at these schools—teachers, administrators, classified employees—and parents, who are working together to provide high-quality educational experiences for all of their students.”

This year’s San Bernardino County Distinguished Schools are:

• Deer Canyon Elementary, Alta Loma School District;
• Coyote Canyon Elementary, Central Elementary School District
• Hidden Trails and Liberty elementaries, Chino Valley Unified School District;
• Lightfoot, Solorio, Etiwanda Colony, Perdew and West Heritage elementaries, Etiwanda School District;
• Krystal School of Math, Science and Technology and LaVerne Elementary Prep Academy, Hesperia Unified School District;
• Ramona Elementary, Ontario-Montclair School District;
• Cram and Highland Grove elementaries, Redlands Unified School District;
• Trapp Elementary, Rialto Unified School District;
• Salinas Creative Arts Elementary, San Bernardino City Unified School District;
• Galileo Academy 101, Mountain View Montessori Charter and Sixth Street Prep, Victor Valley Elementary School District.

The California Distinguished Schools, as well as Exemplary Arts Education Schools, National Blue Ribbon Schools, National Bell Awardees and National ESEA Distinguished Schools , will be honored at a statewide ceremony in February in Anaheim.

For a list of all of the 323 California Distinguished Schools statewide for 2019-20 academic year, visit the California Department of Education’s website at https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr19/yr19rel85.asp