Local Elementary School Wins Gold

MORENO VALLEY >> The California Department of Education has designated Riverside Unified School District’s (RUSD) Bryant Elementary School as one of the 2016 California Gold Ribbon Schools, recognizing the model efforts made by these schools to prepare their students for the future. Nearly 6,000 elementary schools were eligible to apply in the past year, yet only 13 percent were awarded the honor. “This award is a great honor and the entire staff at Bryant is to be commended,” said RUSD superintendent, Dr. David Hansen. "Bryant exemplifies, not just the excellence of a Gold Ribbon School, but of the high standard we have set here at Riverside Unified.” The California Gold Ribbon Schools Award is a replacement for the California Distinguished Schools Program, which is currently being revamped to accommodate new systems of assessment and accountability. Last year, the award identified middle and high schools, but this year, the focus was on elementary schools that have adopted standardized activities, projects, strategies and practices that can be modeled by other educational institutions. Bryant Elementary School received the award for its Core Knowledge program, which aims to help students become more “culturally literate” by focusing on a linear teaching of language arts, history, math, and the other basic school subjects like science and visual arts. “Just five years ago, Bryant was in danger of closing,” said Bryant Elementary School Principal, Dr. Lari Nelson. “Instead, we tried something new and adopted the Core Knowledge program. By building the students’ cultural literacy, we give them the confidence to love learning, seek knowledge, develop ideas, find answers, and give back – in ways both big and small.” The schools will be recognized in May and June during regional ceremonies held in Santa Clara, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Visalia, and Sacramento. Other schools that are being recognized for their contributions to education with this award include several in the Desert Sands, Menifee, and Moreno Valley Unified School Districts, as well as many schools in Northern California counties like Sacramento, Alameda, and Contra Costa. “These schools shine as bright beacons for others, putting forth an exemplary effort to ensure that every student is ready for 21st century college and careers,” said Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. “California teachers are developing an education model for the nation, training the students of today to be the problem-solvers, inventors, and pioneers of tomorrow.” A full list of schools receiving the 2016 California Gold Ribbon Award can be viewed on the California Department of Education website.