Hamilton, Longfellow, Willard, Sierra Madre Named Honor Roll Schools

Pasadena Unified School District’s (PUSD) announced that four schools were named 2009 Honor Roll Schools by California Business for Education Excellence, a statewide association of businesses advocating for public school improvement.  Hamilton Elementary, Longfellow Elementary, Willard Elementary and Sierra Madre School were recognized for superior academic achievement and closing achievement gaps.

“I am thrilled and proud of our schools’ academic achievements,” said Superintendent of Schools, Edwin Diaz.  “This is a great recognition, and a well-deserved honor for the principals, teachers, students and families of these schools.”

The 2009 Honor Roll includes 1,304 California public elementary, middle and high schools that have been recognized by California’s business community for having demonstrated consistent high student academic achievement and have made significant progress toward closing achievement gaps among all their students.

Hamilton, Longfellow and Willard received the Star Schools Award, distinguishing schools with significant populations of socioeconomically disadvantaged students that have shown a substantial increase in grade-level proficiency and achievement gap reduction over four years.  Sierra Madre School received the Scholar Schools Award, which recognizes high-achieving schools that do not have a significant socioeconomically disadvantaged student population.

The Honor Roll recognition program uses individual school and student subgroup performance data based on the California Standards Tests and the California High School Exit Exam, to evaluate school academic performance.