The Board of Trustees applauded Two Rivers Elementary School on Oct. 8 for its selection as a 2014 California Distinguished School by the state Department of Education. Only five other Sacramento County elementary schools were chosen by the state as models for closing the achieving gap. Principal Leslie Sargent introduced key campus staff and parents to Trustees. Here is how Associate Supt. Keven MacDonald described the California Distinguished School award and touted Two Rivers’ academic success at the public meeting:
“The 2014 California Distinguished Schools Program focuses on California students’ right to an equitable and rigorous education, and recognizes those schools that have made progress in narrowing the academic achievement gap.
“Schools must meet a variety of eligibility criteria, including accountability measures. Once schools are deemed eligible, the California Department of Education (CDE) invites them to apply to be recognized as a California Distinguished School. The process consists of a written application, which includes a comprehensive description of two of the school’s signature practices, and a county-led site validation review process focused on the implementation of those signature practices.
“Two Rivers Elementary set a goal four years ago of achieving this award. The school ranked among California’s leaders in boosting the Academic Performance Index (API) score by which schools are ranked and measured. The campus jumped 68 points in its API.
“One of Two Rivers’ signature practices is structured support for student needs. Students receive various academic supports both during and after school. Two Rivers also provides after-school enrichment through a program, facilitated by parents, that offers more than a dozen free classes ranging from creative writing to dance, choir, art, chess, flag football and jogging. Hundreds of Two Rivers students, from all socioeconomic backgrounds, have been exposed to new experiences that could become lifelong passions.
“Two Rivers also touts collaboration among teachers in developing or honing structured supports for students, including a program that groups students with similar academic needs together for 30 minutes per day and provides them with WIN instruction, an acronym for “Whatever I Need.”
“I am honored this evening to present Natomas’ own 2014 California Distinguished School Awardee, Two Rivers Elementary.”
