Six High-Performing SBCUSD Middle Schools Recognized as 2025 Schools to Watch
3 min read
Curtis Middle School hosted its first KINGS (Knowledge, Integrity, Noble, Genuine, Self-confident) on Campus event in February. The event gathers together members of the SBCUSD staff and community to welcome students to school, providing a boost of positivity and showing students that the community cares about their success. (Photo by Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD)
Six middle schools in the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) have been designated as 2025 California Schools to Watch by the California Department of Education (CDE), the California League of Middle Schools, the California Middle Grades Alliance and the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform.
Curtis Middle School and Serrano Middle School earned redesignation under the CDE program. Both schools were originally designated Schools to Watch in 2016. New to the elite club this year are Arrowview Middle School, Chavez Middle School, Paakuma’ K–8 School and Rodriguez PREP Academy.
California Schools to Watch are considered model middle schools that:
- Educate students in any grades from grade 5 through grade 9
- Provide every student with high-quality educational resources and support
- Support the whole child, including physical, mental and social-emotional health
“Each school SHINES in its own way,” Superintendent Mauricio Arellano said, “but together they demonstrate that San Bernardino City Schools have the vision needed for student success.”
Some of the programs and practices that earned Curtis its redesignation were its STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Academy career pathway, its Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program and its restorative justice program. Curtis is one of only two middle schools in the state to have a Gold-certified career pathway, the highest honor awarded by the Linked Learning Alliance. The campus is also designated as a District demonstration school for PBIS.
Serrano was redesignated a School to Watch in part for its schoolwide implementation of Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) practices and using AVID interactive notebooks in all core classes. AVID is a nationally recognized program that fosters good note-taking, study and organizational habits and improves students’ self-esteem, resulting in academic achievement and college and career readiness.
Arrowview has achieved designation as a School to Watch for its dedication to Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS), while also fostering academic excellence through programs like AVID, STEM and Dual Immersion. The school promotes continuous student improvement through targeted academic interventions, extracurricular opportunities and a focus on creating a supportive environment for all students.
Dual Immersion provides instruction to all participating students in both English and Spanish during the school day so both native English speakers and native Spanish speakers have the opportunity to become bilingual, biliterate and multicultural.
Chavez was recognized as a School to Watch due to its commitment to the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program, its strong focus on student engagement and equity, and its dedication to PBIS and restorative practices.
Paakuma’ K–8 School has earned the Schools to Watch certification thanks in part to an instructional framework that focuses on continuous academic excellence, enhances existing programs and expands opportunities for student growth and engagement, ensuring all students are well-prepared for high school and focused on college and career success.
For Rodriguez PREP, this recognition stems from a commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive learning through strong relationships and student accountability. The school’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) program ensures all students engage in hands-on, inquiry-driven learning that enhances critical thinking for success across all subjects.
Families can pre-enroll their school-age children in SBCUSD’s award-winning schools now for the 2025–2026 school year by visiting https://www.sbcusd.com/departments/student-services-division/enrollment-placement-services.
