Mill Valley School Honored

MILL VALLEY, CA — A Mill Valley school was among the top state schools that earned high marks during the toughest of times.

Mill Valley Middle School was honored under the 2021 California Distinguished Schools Program earlier this week.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond on Thursday announced over 100 schools had earned top honors.

“Amid the backdrop of uncertainty and hardship facing all schools this past year, this recognition is especially remarkable,” The California Department of Education tweeted.

The schools were evaluated for this honor based on performance and progress on state indicators specified on the California School Dashboard, the state’s accountability and continuous improvement system, the CDE said in a statement.

Test scores, suspension rates, and educational atmospherics were the key components of the evaluation process.

“These schools are great examples of California’s commitment to provide outstanding public education for all students, and their data-driven efforts have helped ensure that their students leave with the tools and skills they need to be successful after graduation,” Thurmond said in a statement.

“Our thanks go to the entire communities surrounding these schools, including the teachers, administrators, and classified employees as well as the students and their families who, through teamwork, all accomplished this impressive achievement together.”

The Distinguished Schools Program recognizes schools for their excellent work in one of two categories: closing the achievement gap and achieving exceptional student performance. Elementary schools and middle and high schools are recognized in alternate years; therefore, awardees hold the title for two years.

Distinguished Schools represent examples of not just excellent teaching, learning, and collaboration, but also highly successful, data-driven school efforts ranging from professional development to positive behavior intervention.

We are so proud of our Mill Valley Middle School for being honored as a 2021 California Distinguished School. Every staff member works incredibly hard every day for the benefit of our #MillValleyLearners,” the Mill Valley School District tweeted.