By Mary O’KEEFE

Monte Vista Elementary School held a celebration on Friday after being named a National Blue Ribbon School, one of 30 schools in California.

According to the U.S. Dept. of Education, “The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.”

This is the second time Monte Vista has been recognized with this award; schools are nominated about every five years. Both public and non-public schools are eligible.

About .5% of schools in California received this recognition, according to Monte Vista Principal Suzanne Risse.

Being one of a small number of schools chosen was not lost on the students. Monte Vista Student Council member Ben Kim, a fourth grader, was one of the students who led visiting members of the Glendale Unified School District and parents and community members to the celebration on the school’s playground.

“I am really excited about celebrating our school,” Ben said.

Fellow student council members Sophia Iknadossian, a fifth grader, and Daniel Kahdian, a sixth grader, were also part of the welcoming committee. Both students emphasized their school was were among a small number of schools that had been recognized with this honor.

“Our school is getting this honor with only 29 other schools in California,” Daniel said.

All three students praised their school as a caring, fun and supportive place.

“I really like the teachers,” Daniel said. “They are really nice.”

“Our school has a lot of playground and really nice teachers and really nice staff,” Sophia added.

Daniel has siblings in both Rosemont Middle School and Crescenta Valley High School. He said he is looking forward to continuing his family’s tradition of being a Rosemont Spartan and a CVHS Falcon.

Risse praised the staff, teachers, parents and students as she officially announced the Blue Ribbon recognition.

“Why do we do all of this?” Risse asked the audience.

She pointed out the decorations that filled the school and the playground.

“If you ask people why are they running around making [themselves] just a little bit crazy for [a one-hour] event,” she said of the presentation on Friday, “I can tell you what they will probably say: Some things just matter.”

She told the audience it was important to create a school that was bright, warming and inviting.

“It matters that our students felt acknowledged whether with a Monty pin, a blue ribbon pencil or red, white and blue rocket popsicles,” she said.

Monty is the school’s Old English sheepdog mascot. Risse added that it mattered that teachers felt they are recognized for all they do.

“Teachers and teaching – I bet many of you are teachers and had the very same question asked of you: Why do you do this? Why did you choose this profession?” she said. “Teachers are called upon to be instructors, nurses, counselors, behaviorists, hostesses and chaperones. So again, why teach? And the answer, again, is some things just matter.”

Risse continued to list the things school staff and teachers do to help their students, from being another adult in children’s lives who believe in them to inspiring the love of learning and guiding students to dream of future careers. It is also important for students to have an adult who is there to make school a fun and learning atmosphere, especially when some students go home to a not so comfortable life.

“We have moved the compass and also addressed social and emotional needs,” she added.

She shared that when she became principal at Monte Vista six years ago she knew she was surrounded by a community that believed excellence mattered.

“I couldn’t be more proud,” she said.

GUSD Board President Jennifer Freemon spoke to the students about the award. She asked them to raise their hands if they felt Monte Vista was an awesome place and they knew adults were there who cared about them. All students raised their hands.

“Good schools don’t happen in a bubble,” she said, praising all who help Monte Vista students every day.

Superintendent Vivian Ekchian also commended the students and staff.

“Congratulations,” she said. “You are the geniuses of our next generation.”

  Mary Okeefe