GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) –State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond, recognized two local elementary schools, under the 2020 California Distinguished Schools Award Program -Gridley’s Wilson Elementary School and Manzanita School.

In a press release announcing the 2020 California Distinguished Schools, Thurmond states “These outstanding schools don’t just educate students; They also provide the young people of California the tools they need to be successful after graduation.” He continues, “Thanks go to all the staff at these schools – teachers, administrators, classified employees – and parents, who are working together to provide high-quality educational experiences for all of their students.”

Wilson and Manzanita were among the 323 schools state-wide to receive the award and were 2 out of the 4 Butte County schools selected.  Each year the state rotates nominations between elementary and middle schools, meaning that Wilson and Manzanita will hold their titles for the next two years.

Superintendent of Manzanita School District and school Principal, Gary Rogers says, “The Manzanita staff was very excited to hear the news that we received the 2020 Distinguished School Award. This is our third Distinguished School award and it is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Manzanita School community. We are so proud of the educational program and environment that we offer our students here at Manzanita, and we are honored to see their hard work, as well as the efforts of the staff and our families being recognized."

The CDSA program recognizes excellence in education programs, practices and applauds schools for achieving exceptional student performance and closing the achievement gap. Schools must consistently show excellence in test scores, are judged on suspension rates, overall academics, and classroom learning environments to be eligible for the honor.

About their recognition as a 2020 California Distinguished School, Principal Jesse Rodriguez of Wilson School says, “We are all excited about it and I’m so proud of them (staff and teachers)! I’m happy to be working with them.” He continues, “They did a lot of good work, and it shows! And they should be commended for what they’ve done.”