26 local schools earn high honors, the 2023 California Distinguished Schools award, including Hugo Reid Elementary, Camino Grove Elementary, Highland Oaks Elementary, Rancho Learning Center, Baldwin Stocker Elementary, Holly Avenue Elementary and Longley Way Elementary School from the Arcadia Unified School District.
About 220 Holly Avenue School students are already on the year-round schedule, currently in its 7th year of year-round instruction. Principal Bill Robinson invites local residents to an informational meeting about the school's year-round educational program.
All Arcadia Unified School District's elementary schools earn historic acclaim in California's coveted 2023 Distinguished Schools Program. The award winning Arcadia elementary schools are Hugo Reid Elementary, Camino Grove Elementary, Highland Oaks Elementary, alternative learning program Rancho Learning Center, Baldwin Stocker Elementary, Holly Avenue Elementary and Longley Way Elementary School.
All but one regular Arcadia school ranks in the top percentile of schools across California in the API ratings. A comparison to Monrovia and Pasadena schools is included.
Arcadia, Alhambra, Monrovia, Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Gabriel, San Marino and Temple City public schools all showed improvement on California state API testing that measures English and math performance. Duarte Unified showed a drop from the previous year.
Arcadia noted for topflight city school system. From packing shed to 10 school plants, story of Arcadia--8 schools in use, 9th being built, 10th being planned.
Arcadia's Baldwin Stocker Elementary School and Pasadena's Roosevelt Elementary have been nominated for National Blue Ribbon honor. The program recognizes some of the highest performing and most improved schools in the nation.
Arcadia's parcel tax, Measure A, is validated. It gives schools $17 million over the next 5 years. Residents, with a few exceptions (seniors and those who receive Social Security), will have to pay an additional $228/year to help offset the fiscal deficit the Arcadia Unified School District faces. This Measure A was on the March 13 ballot.
Arcadia teachers and students unite for Measure A, the renewal of a parcel tax that helps provide stable school funding for Arcadias, on March 7 ballot. Previously approved in 2012, Measure A would authorize a "qualified special tax of $288 per parcel of taxable real estate property," an increase of $60 over the 2012 proposal. Citizen homeowners age 65 and over would be able to exempt their primary residence from the tax.
Arcadia Unified School District adopts "Common Core," so students in Arcadia will be studying subjects at the same time as students in 46 other states. Teacher Jennifer Prince said Common Core is meant to help students compete in a 21st century national and global economy. See hard copy in VF "Schools--History--2001-2020."
The Arcadia Unified School District has enrolled 9,637 students this year. Enrollment numbers broken down by level:
Arcadia High School: 3417
Middle Schools: 2436
Elementary Schools: 3739
New Teachers: 38
Permits from other districts: 355
The article includes other numbers as well.
Arcadia Unified School District revives middle school athletics. In 1995, the middle school sports program was dismantled when the district transitioned junior high to the middle school model (6th-8th grades), then the focus veered heavily toward academics. On December 3, 2015, First Avenue Middle School faced off with Dana Middle School for the first time in two decades.
Arcadia Unified School District upgraded and improved four campuses over summer break, costing nearly $10 million. Funded under the district's $218 million Measure I Bond, the four schools that got updated classrooms and facilities are Arcadia High School, Camino Grove Elementary, Hugo Reid Elementary, and Highland Oaks Elementary schools.
The California State Department of Education has released test scores and rankings. Every spring the state gives each public school two rankings from 1 to 10. A "statewide" rank compares each school in the state and the "similar schools" rank compares schools with similar demographics and populations. Oak Avenue Intermediate in Temple City Unified School District and Huntington Middle School and San Marino High School in San Marino Unified all got 10s in both categories. All schools in the Arcadia Unified School District earned a rank of 10 in the "statewide" category, but ranks varied in the "similar schools" category.
Deferred maintenance and capital improvement projects to be done this summer include roofing, re-roofing, painting, kitchen and plumbing work at area schools.