Mountain Avenue Elementary in La Crescenta has been recognized as a 2020 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education, the Glendale Unified School District announced.
The National Blue Ribbon is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning. The designation affirms the hard work of educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content.
The 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognized 367 schools, including 36 in California. Mountain Avenue has been recognized in the Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools category. This is the second time the school has received the honor; it was also recognized in 2005. Nine GUSD schools have earned the National Blue Ribbon distinction since the program began in 1982.
“Our Mountain Avenue teachers, staff, administrators and families have a relentless focus on academic excellence and the social-emotional well-being of every student,” said GUSD Superintendent Vivian Ekchian. “I am proud to celebrate this prestigious recognition with the entire Glendale Unified community. We are excelling together to ensure our students achieve their aspirational goals.”
Added Mountain Avenue Principal Jaclyn Scott: “We are thrilled and honored to be recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School for the 2020 school year. This award is a testament to the hard work put forth by our teachers and students to meet academic achievement standards.”
Mountain Avenue serves more than 580 students in kindergarten through 6th grade. It is recognized as a highly sought-out school at the forefront of STEAM integration partnered with academic rigor. For the past three years, the school has specifically focused on closing achievement gaps among students through its Core Plus Differentiated Instruction Program. Mountain Avenue has also been recognized in the past as a California Distinguished School and a California Gold Ribbon School.
