It is with great excitement and pride that I share that our school has been selected as a 2016 California Gold Ribbon School – the state’s highest honor for outstanding educational achievement!
Our school will be formally recognized by the California Department of Education at a ceremony in May.
Below is the official press release. We look forward to celebrating this huge endeavor with all of you!
Regards,
Principal Kevin Despard
7 ROWLAND UNIFIED SCHOOLS RECEIVE STATE’S HIGHEST HONOR
AS GOLD RIBBON SCHOOLS
ROWLAND HEIGHTS, CA – APRIL 14, 2016 – Rowland Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Julie Mitchell announced today that seven elementary schools were officially named by the California Department of Education as Gold Ribbon Schools, the state’s highest designation for outstanding educational programs and practices. The seven exemplary elementary schools from Rowland USD are: Hollingworth Elementary, Jellick Elementary, Shelyn Elementary, Stanley G. Oswalt Academy, Telesis Academy of Science & Math, Villacorta Elementary, and Ybarra Academy of the Arts and Technology.
“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.”
“We were happy to have been able to highlight our International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IB PYP). Through our PYP program we have been able to offer a rigorous inquiry based curriculum to our students. Students are able to explore wonderings while at the same time practice their collaboration communication, critical thinking, and creative skills, said Oswalt Principal Kevin Despard.
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. Nearly 6,000 elementary schools were eligible to apply this year and 772 were selected.
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 Web site.
Stanley G. Oswalt Academy's Signature Practice: International Baccalaureate
Oswalt’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) is infused with a technology focus to support 21st Century Learning Skills. Through the IB program, students are taught through an inquiry based approach with an international focus and an understanding of a global society. Oswalt is a TK – 8 Academy, and students are given second language instruction (Spanish) starting in the First Grade. The Laptop 1 to 1 Learning Program is for all students in grades 5 to 8 and provides 24/7 access to an Apple MacBook Air laptop computer. TK-4 classrooms use technology with a set of iPad Mini’s or iPod touches. This technology is used for students to be able to collaborate on group work, access rigorous non-fiction text, and research for projects.
Oswalt Academy Principal: Kevin Despard (626) 810-4109 www.Oswaltacademy.org