State nominates 3 Ramona schools for Gold Ribbon awards

Three elementary schools in Ramona are being considered for a Gold Ribbon School Award: Ramona, Hanson and James Dukes.

Validation teams visited Ramona Elementary on Monday and James Dukes Elementary on Tuesday. Based on the strength of Hanson Elementary’s program, that school did not require a visit, Principal Chris Gunnett said Monday.

“This is is a statewide, very prestigious award,” Superintendent Robert Graeff, Ed.D., told school board members recently. “Last year we had two Gold Ribbon schools, Mountain Valley Academy and Olive Peirce Middle School.

The state Department of Education created the California Gold Ribbon School Award to honor schools with outstanding educational programs and practices. Last year the department honored middle schools and high schools. This year’s focus is on elementary schools.

Gold ribbon awards are taking the place of the California Distinguished Schools Program while the state transitions to new assessment and accountability systems, the Department of Education states on its website.

“Traditionally, the Distinguished Schools Program honored public schools that showed improved student outcomes as measured through Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) scores and additional measures,” the website notes. “As programs and policies evolve, the CDE looks toward the same recognition of educational quality with the implementation of academic content and performance standards adopted by the State Board of Education for all pupils, including English learners.

The deadline for elementary schools throughout the state to submit gold ribbon applications was Nov. 20. Each application was screened for compliance and evaluated.

Each school based its application on a model program and/or practice at the school. James Dukes’ was character education, Hanson’s was writing and mathematics, and Ramona Elementary’s was closing the achievement gap and education supports.

Schools learned in late January if they made the cut to advance to the next stage, and the state in April will announce the schools selected for 2016 gold ribbon awards.

Parents, students, community members, teachers, administrators and other school employees participate in validation team interviews.

“We’re highlighting a signature practice that involve the support that we give to ELD (English language development) instruction,” Ramona Elementary Principal Melissa “Missy” Cobian said at the March 10 school board meeting, when she invited trustees and district administrators to visit the school during the validation team’s visit.