By Ian Hanigan
IUSD’s newest elementary school is also the district’s newest Blue Ribbon school.
Stonegate Elementary learned this morning that it was among 236 public and 50 private schools to have earned what is widely considered the nation’s high level of educational recognition as 2013 National Blue Ribbon Schools.
Only 15 campuses earned the federal honor in California, and just two were recognized from Orange County.
Stonegate is now IUSD’s 14th Blue Ribbon School dating back to the start of the program in 1983. Principal Stan Machesky, who made the announcement during his school’s popular “Stonegate News” broadcast, said the honor was particularly gratifying given the steady growth at Stonegate, which has seen its student population and teaching staff double since opening in 2009.
“It’s like you’re prideful, but you’re also humble at the same time,” he said. “With the amount of growth of population that we’ve had among our teachers, as well as our students, it’s quite significant to have continued academic growth and success.”
Blue Ribbon schools can earn the designation by meeting one of two eligibility criteria:
“Exemplary High-Performing” sites such as Stonegate are those that rate among the best on English and math assessments. Student subgroups at …read more
Read more here: Irvine Unified News