Today, we are thrilled to share some great news about our schools with our friends and colleagues.
The California Department of Education (DOE) just announced that two Envision Education schools - City Arts & Technology High School (CAT) in San Francisco and Envision Academy of Arts & Technology (EA) in Oakland - are recipients of the DOE's 2015 Gold Ribbon Schools Award. Following a lengthy application and review process, including school visits from the DOE's Site Validation Team, Envision's schools are being recognized for their outstanding service to California students and families. As stated in the award letter from State Superintendent Tom Torlakson, these awards are "a direct reflection of the dedication, hard work, and vision of your...educational community." Following is an excerpt from Envision's award application:
At Envision Education, we believe that students transform the trajectories of their lives and communities by entering, succeeding in, and graduating from college. Our goal is to ensure that every graduate moves on to a four year college equipped with both the core academic competencies and leadership skills that will ultimately transform our students' lives and our society. Unlike most schools where college readiness is measured simply by student GPA and class credits, Envision utilizes a Portfolio Defense assessment system that requires student to show and articulate their college readiness and growth as learners in a public presentation, much like a thesis defense at the graduate school level.
The Site Validation Team commended CAT Principal Daniel Allen on the way the Portfolio Defense system is integrated throughout the school, for every student, and on the strong growth mindset that characterizes the school community; the visitors at Envision Academy noted that "the staff and students have developed a community culture which positively impacts academic expectations and success."
CAT and EA are two of only 373 California schools (out of more than 11,000) to receive the Gold Ribbon Award. Their accomplishment will be celebrated at the California School Recognition Program Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 29, 2015, at the San Francisco Marriott. The event promises to be memorable evening of celebrating schools, teachers, and students!
We are gratified that our hard work is being recognized by the State of California. It is a privilege to work with our Bay Area students each day, and we are extremely proud of their hard work and their persistence in getting to and thriving in college. The Gold Ribbon Awards inspire us to continue to do everything we can to prepare our students for success, in college, career, and life!
For more information, contact Monica Alatorre, Senior Communications Manager for Envision Education.
For the full announcement from the State of California, click here.
