Hillside Elementary School Named National Blue Ribbon School

The U.S. Department of Education recently recognized Hillside University Demonstration School as a National Blue Ribbon School, becoming the only campus in the Inland Empire to earn the coveted honor. The award honors public and private schools where students either perform at high levels or make notable improvement in closing the achievement gap based on overall student scores, subgroup scores, or graduation rates. Hillside is one of the 287 public and 50 private schools that will be honored at a recognition ceremony on Nov. 10 and 11 in Washington, D.C. In its 32-year history, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed this coveted award on just fewer than 7,900 of America's schools. “These great schools are fulfilling the promise of American education—that all students, no matter their name or zip code, can flourish when schools provide safe, creative, and challenging learning environments,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “National Blue Ribbon Schools are models of consistent excellence and a resource for other schools and districts. We celebrate them for their tireless effort and boundless creativity in reaching and teaching every student.” Hillside Elementary is a University Demonstration School, where California State University, San Bernardino students who are preparing to enter the educational field work with master teachers. The school, which serves more than 700 students in grades kindergarten through sixth, offers the sought-after Dual Immersion program. Hillside has made noteworthy academic gains under the leadership of Principal Tommie Archuleta and former Principal Mary Pierce. Earlier this year, the school earned prestigious, back-to-back awards for its work to ensure all students succeed academically. This spring, the California Department of Education recognized Hillside with a Title I Academic Achievement Award for demonstrating that all students are making significant progress toward proficiency on California’s academic content standards. In May, the National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST) named Hillside one of the nation’s top urban schools that achieve exceptional academic results. Hillside joins two other National Blue Ribbon schools in the San Bernardino City Unified School District, Richardson PREP HI Middle School and Middle College High School.