Laguna Beach High School earns state Gold Ribbon award
State education officials have selected Laguna Beach High School as one of its Gold Ribbon award winners for 2017.
Gold Ribbon awards recognize California schools that have made gains in implementing academic content and performance standards in English-language arts, mathematics, science and English-language development, according to a Laguna Beach Unified School District release.
Laguna was among 275 middle and high schools to receive the recognition, which replaced the California Distinguished Schools program.
The state honored elementary schools last year.
Education officials created the Gold Ribbon honor as the state creates assessment and accountability systems to jibe with Common Core standards. Common Core places greater emphasis on expository writing and critical thinking across multiple subjects.
School leaders apply for the award based on a model program or practice that other schools could replicate.
Laguna Beach High featured its chemistry program in the category of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the release said.
The program consists of a blended chemistry instructional model and the Advanced Chemical Research (ACR) program.
In the blended chemistry model, the school emphasized real-world problem solving in all levels of chemistry.
Rather than offering separate college-preparatory chemistry and honors chemistry courses, Laguna Beach High blended both classes together in all sections and utilized the honors curriculum for all students, according to the release.
ACR is a project-based learning capstone class that engages high school seniors in research investigations.
The California Department of Education will recognize Laguna Beach High at a ceremony May 1. Laguna Beach Unified trustees will honor the school at their May 9 meeting.
Twitter: @AldertonBryce
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