An Orange County campus has earned the nation’s highest level of distinction as a 2022 National Blue Ribbon School, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced Friday.
Woodbridge High School in the Irvine Unified School District joined 28 other California secondary schools in receiving the recognition after being nominated by the state’s top education officials.
“Congratulations to the students, families, and educators that make up these outstanding, vibrant and affirming school communities,” Superintendent Thurmond said. “As we continue to recover from the pandemic, this award validates the hard work of educators across the state on behalf of our students. Their commitment to meeting the academic, social, and emotional needs of all their students has helped transform the lives of students during extraordinary circumstances.”
Established in 1982, the Blue Ribbon program spotlights public and private elementary, middle and high schools for overall academic excellence or for demonstrating progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. Primary and secondary campuses are recognized in alternating years.
“The Woodbridge community has always been worthy of an honor of this size, but what makes this one so special is it represents excellence and growth through the most complicated time for K-12 education we’ve seen in our country’s history,” Woodbridge High School Principal Chris Krebs said. “This recognition belongs to our talented WHS staff for their heroic efforts these last three years, to our students who have demonstrated resiliency and grit, and to the families we serve, who trusted and supported us during this time. This partnership between our school and community is special and deserving of national recognition.”
Here is the complete list of California’s National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2022:
- Foothills Middle School, Arcadia Unified School District (Arcadia)
- Ralston Intermediate School, Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary School District (Belmont)
- Burlingame Intermediate School, Burlingame Elementary School District (Burlingame)
- Carmenita Middle School, ABC Unified School District (Cerritos)
- Wittmann (Helen) Elementary School, ABC Unified School District (Cerritos)
- Woods (Harold L.) Elementary School, Clovis Unified School District (Clovis)
- Diamond Bar High School, Walnut Valley Unified School District (Diamond Bar)
- Eleanor Murray Fallon School, Dublin Unified School District (Dublin)
- Grapeland Elementary School, Etiwanda Elementary School District (Etiwanda)
- Granite Ridge Intermediate School, Clovis Unified School District (Fresno)
- Woodbridge High School, Irvine Unified School District (Irvine)
- Helix High School, Grossmont Union High School District (La Mesa)
- Newcomb Academy, Long Beach Unified School District (Long Beach)
- Orinda Intermediate School, Orinda Elementary Union School District (Orinda)
- Thomas S. Hart Middle School, Pleasanton Unified School District (Pleasanton)
- Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (Rolling Hills Estates)
- Richardson PREP HI Middle School, San Bernardino City Unified School District (San Bernardino)
- Westview High School, Poway Unified School District (San Diego)
- Arma J. Shull Elementary School, Bonita Unified School District (San Dimas)
- Lawton Alternative Elementary School, San Francisco Unified School District (San Francisco)
- Coyote Creek Elementary School, San Ramon Valley Unified School District (San Ramon)
- Gale Ranch Middle School, San Ramon Valley Unified School District (San Ramon)
- Iron Horse Middle School, San Ramon Valley Unified School District (San Ramon)
- Windemere Ranch Middle School, San Ramon Valley Unified School District (San Ramon)
- South Pasadena Middle School, South Pasadena Unified School District (South Pasadena)
- Colfax Charter Elementary School, Los Angeles Unified School District (Valley Village)
- Kester Avenue Elementary School, Los Angeles Unified School District (Van Nuys)
Now in its 39th year, the program has granted approximately 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools.
More information on the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program can be found on the U.S. Department of Education’s National Blue Ribbons Schools web page.
