May 2, 2006 > Emanuele Elementary: California Distinguished School

by Rick La Plante

Guy Emanuele Jr. Elementary School is a 2006 California Distinguished School, as announced by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell.

Emanuele Principal Marguerite Herrerra and her predecessor, Scott Pizani, principal for five years before coming the district's Coordinator of Prevention and Intervention Services last fall, will be recognized at the May 2 Board of Education meeting, along with other staff members, students and parents.

The California Distinguished School awards recognize elementary and secondary schools in alternate years, selecting from among schools eligible to apply based on their Academic Performance Index and Adequate Yearly Progress results. Emanuele raised its API score 39 points in 2005-2006, from 723 to 762.

Diversity is a tremendous strength at Emanuele, where 48 percent of the students are Hispanic, 20 percent are Asian, 12 percent African-American, 11 percent Filipino and 7 percent Caucasian. The school also has overcome significant socio-economic disadvantages, as 47 percent of the students are on free or reduced-priced lunches.

The 997 schools that filed California Distinguished School applications this year underwent a rigorous selection process conducted by the California Department of Education in partnership with the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association. Awards were presented this year to a record 377 schools.