Fresh off its new-year announcement that it was named one of the five best school systems in the world, the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) can continue to brag since within the last two weeks, they have garnered multiple accolades from a variety of public and private organizations.
The California Academy of Mathematics and Science (CAMS), a LBUSD-ran high school situated on the campus of Cal State Dominguez Hills that serves over 650 students, has been recently lauded with multiple recognitions. This week, the high school was honored by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson as a California Distinguised School. This in addition to being named by Newsweek this week as one of the top one-thousand schools in the nation.
CAMS also joined three other high schools–Renaissance High School for the Arts, Millikan High School, Lakewood High School–in making the newest ranks on the influential annual list of best high schools released by U.S. News and World Report. CAMS received a gold medal honor while the latter three all received silver medals.
{loadposition latestnews}Additionally, CAMS was also ranked as one of the top 9% most challenging high schools nationwide by the Washington Post, along with six other LBUSD high schools: Wilson, Millikan, Poly, Renaissance, Lakewood and Avalon.
“We’re delighted to see the high quality of our high schools recognized again on a national stage,” said LBUSD Superintendent Christopher J. Steinhauser in a release. “We’ve maintained a consistent focus on college and career preparation, and that work is reflected in these latest rankings.”
Hughes Middle School was amongst 64 schools nationwide to receive the prestigious National Green Ribbon by the U.S. Department of Education and only one of three in California. Nominated for the honor this past February, the announcement of its win came from Washington D.C. by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Earth Day, showcasing Hughes’ exemplary efforts to encourage environmental stability and growth. Last year, nearby Longfellow Elementary was given the same honor.
Finally–and most certainly not least–LBUSD set a record for itself when 17 of its schools were named on the California Business Education Excellence Honor Roll for not only the schools’ academic achievements, but their ability to reduce the achievement gap between differing student populations.
Star Schools, the highest recognition on the honor roll, included: Bryant, Kettering, Longfellow, Los Cerritos and Webster elementary schools; Bancroft and Stanford middle schools; and CAMS.
Scholar Schools, the second tier of recognition, included: Carver, Emerson, Fremont, Gant, Lowell, Naples and Prisk elementary schools; Newcomb K-8 Academy; and Rogers Middle School.
Furthermore, the business group also recognizes schools with high levels of low-income students that simultaneously hold high levels of achievement within STEM studies (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). CAM and Kettering were specifically acknowledged for their efforts within these areas.
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