Moreno Valley Unified School District was the recipient of three Riverside County Office of Education Models of Academic Excellence Awards. The awards were presented at a luncheon during the Riverside County Education Summit, and recognize programs that have been successful in improving student academic achievement.
Moreno Valley Unified was one of only three districts to earn three of the awards -- the most a school district can win in a single year.
The three programs, Building Assets, Reducing Risks; Cyber Elite; and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports were the 2018 recipients for MVUSD.
Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) is a system used to meet the academic, behavioral, social and emotional needs of all students. BARR is aimed at making the 9th grade year more personal for students, especially students who may otherwise slip through the cracks.The program is in place at Moreno Valley, Valley View and Vista del Lago High Schools. BARR has reduced the course failure rate, increased the average GPA, and reduced the amount of students with one F in their courses.
The Cyber Elite program at Canyon Springs and Valley View High Schools prepares students to become Cyber Security Specialists and offers collaboration with higher education partners as well as industry groups. The program offers rigorous curriculum that opens doors for all students participating. The program has a 100% graduation rate. Students can continue in higher education and in some cases leave high school with certifications that allow them to enter well-paying careers.
Positive Behaviors Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a district-wide initiative to reduce suspensions in an equitable way. PBIS builds relationships at school to help improve behavior. The model has created expectations at each school that help build a positive school climate.
“We are proud to have three outstanding programs recognized by the county as Models of Excellence,” said Board President Susan Smith, “The awards are strong acknowledgements that our district is a leader in the county in academics.”
“The Models of Excellence awards validate the exceptional work we do every day to provide our students with the very best education,” said Superintendent Dr. Martinrex Kedziora, “Our teachers, administrators and classified staff have all contributed to these wonderful recognitions that we were able to showcase to other educators around the county.”
Board President Susan Smith, Vice President Jesus Holguin, and Clerk Cleveland Johnson along with Superintendent Dr. Martinrex Kedziora and team members from each program also gave presentations during the Education Summit to share the successes with educational leaders from around the county.