San Gabriel USD receives state, national honors

San Gabriel Unified School District received a Golden Bell Award from the California School Boards Association. This prestigious award is distributed annually to recognize public school districts throughout the state for innovative and excellent education programs. In addition, SGUSD was named “Grand Prize Honoree of the Year” by the District Administration magazine, and was recognized during the 40th annual Future of Educational Technology Conference, held Jan. 15, 2020 in Miami, Florida.  San Gabriel Unified School District is being recognized for its Music Immersion Experience program at Roosevelt Elementary School in the award category of Closing the Opportunity Gap Through LCAP Implementation. Through the Music Immersion Experience program, students receive comprehensive music education every day as part of their regular academic instruction. The program was implemented in 2015 and has been hugely impactful in increasing state testing scores, lowering discipline rates, and improving overall climate and culture at the school.  “The Music Immersion Experience has helped to reshape the culture at Roosevelt,” said Roosevelt Principal Cheryl Labanaro Wilson. “It provides our students with not only the opportunity to receive high quality music instruction, but also to have a community of support that has clearly had a positive impact in their overall learning.” Now in its 40th year, the California School Boards Association Golden Bell Awards promotes excellence in education and school board governance by recognizing outstanding programs and governance practices of school boards in school districts and county offices of education throughout California. Golden Bell Awards reflect the depth and breadth of education programs and governance decisions supporting these programs that are necessary to address students’ changing needs. Approximately 50 California districts and county offices of education were honored at the Dec. 5, 2019 Golden Bell Awards Ceremony that coincided with the annual CSBA conference in San Diego.  Districts of Distinction was established by District Administration magazine to honor school districts that are leading the way with new ideas that solve challenges. Honorees are selected based on quantifiable results and the replicability of their initiatives.  “These districts have developed innovative programs to support students in their education and well beyond the classroom,” said JD Solomon, editorial director of District Administration magazine. “We hope our readers are inspired by the efforts of these honorees to create successful initiatives in their own districts.” “We are honored to receive these awards and recognition for a program we are very proud of,” said Samantha Theisen, Visual and Performing Arts Program administrator for SGUSD. “This award also recognizes the innovative mindset and creative culture that exists throughout our school district leadership, which allows a program like MIE to develop and thrive.”  For more information about the Golden Bell Awards and CSBA: http://awards.csba.org/golden-bell/. For more information about Districts of Distinction: https://districtadministration.com/.