The California School Boards Association presented prestigious Golden Bell Awards to seven educational programs in Orange County that improved technology, supported language acquisition and promoted community support for students.
Statewide, 56 programs received Golden Bell Awards during a reception last week. Now in its 38th year, the Golden Bell Award is considered one of the state’s leading educational honors, recognizing public school programs that are inventive and sustainable, make a demonstrated difference for students, and focus on meeting the needs of all students.
Experts from school districts and county offices of education comprised a 16-member judging panel that reviewed and awarded in 19 categories.
Here is the list of winners from Orange County, and their respective programs’ descriptions, from the CSBA Golden Bell.
Orange County Department of Education
OCDE Project GLAD®
The Orange County Office of Education’s Project GLAD® National Training Center has engaged over 10,000 students and 1,440 teachers since 2004, and is the official National Training Center for the Project GLAD® training model. The program’s mission is to ensure that English learners develop the language acquisition and literary skills needed to be successful in the 21st century. The OCDE Project GLAD® program encompasses two main components: a language acquisition model and professional development. The structure, strategies and classroom implications are invaluable to the multilingual settings that make up Orange County.
Huntington Beach City Elementary School District
Huntington Beach City Learning Link, Joseph R. Perry Elementary School
The Huntington Beach City School District’s Learning Link has been strategically designed in partnership with the community. The overarching goal dictating program strategy is to provide rich and meaningful experiences for children and families prior to formal school entry. Interactive learning sessions that model developmentally appropriate, replicable learning opportunities for young children between the ages of 0-5 are provided weekly at no cost to families. Families are introduced to play entry techniques, best practices in problem solving and experiences that promote fine and gross motor development. The Learning Link program provides local resources to families based on specific individual needs.
Huntington Beach City Elementary School District
Comprehensive Energy and Envision Program
By partnering with OpTerra Energy Services for a comprehensive energy program, Huntington Beach City School District leaders have brought benefits to the entire community by investing in sustainable, energy-efficient technology. Multiple energy conservation and renewable generation technologies, including the installation of more than one megawatt of solar capacity, HVAC improvements and new LED lighting maximize financial and environmental benefits for the district. The program went beyond technical energy upgrades by directly tying the infrastructure improvements into classroom learning. District students were provided realworld, hands-on learning opportunities and teaching staff received professional development sessions and resources.
Westminster School District
First in California: Increasing Language Acquisition through Vietnamese Dual Language Immersion
Westminster School District is in the business of preparing students for college, career and life. For students to be A-G prepared and competitive, it is important they speak multiple languages. The Vietnamese Dual Language Immersion program was developed as a part of the board’s vision and Local Control and Accountability Plan goals to increase language acquisition for English learners, biliteracy and college preparedness. As a K-8 district with a population of nearly 10,000 students, with 50 percent English learners, the program meets the needs of students, families and community, as well as meeting the vision of the board and goals of the LCAP.
Anaheim Union High School District
Parent Reflective Learning Walks
Anaheim Union HSD’s Parent Reflective Learning Walks program recognizes that parents/ guardians are their children’s first and most influential teachers, and that sustained parent involvement in the education of their children contributes greatly to student achievement and a positive school environment. The parents not only become better informed about the California State Standards and classroom instruction, but also build their capacity to advocate for their children.
Centralia Elementary School District
Neighborhood Resource Center
The Neighborhood Resource Center in the Centralia ESD is a safe, friendly and caring place where families and community members can access many resources. The Neighborhood Resource Center is a component of the outreach efforts of the Centralia ESD to support families in need. Information is provided regarding the Cal-Fresh program, Housing, ESL adult classes, information for obtaining a GED certificate, counseling services, recreational classes for children, emergency shelters for homeless/displaced families, food distribution services and low-cost medical and dental clinics.
Orange Unified School District
A Schoolwide Take Home iPad Program to Advance Literacy, California Elementary School
The Take Home iPad program in grades K-5 is a blended learning digital literacy program that increases students’ ability to read, write and communicate with oral fluency. Customized learning pathways are provided for students, with enhanced real-time data for teachers to guide instruction and facilitate targeted interventions. Utilizing data, our Reading Specialist pushes into the classroom to teach high-leverage reading intervention lessons. The “Mind the Gap” data team meets weekly to monitor usage and reading interventions, and provide support to teachers. This program provides opportunities to digitally create and publish using applications such as Google Docs, Educreations and Noteability. The students collaboratively master the writing process. Digitized GLAD strategies, response frames, communication objectives and real-life applications are utilized to individualize fluency for our English learners, producing a higher level of oral and reading comprehension.