Rossmoor Elementary Earns Top State Honor

Rossmoor Elementary is this year’s California Distinguished School in the Los Alamitos Unified School District.

Awarded the honor based on high test scores, improvements among student groups and programs such as the school’s problem-solving based approach to math and its Writer’s Workshop, Rossmoor is one of 387 elementary schools statewide to earn the award this year.

“We are so excited. It’s such an honor,” said Los Alamitos Unified School District Superintendent Sherry Kropp.

Rossmoor’s Writer’s Workshop is a very interactive program with students already writing in kindergarten and writing drafts and accepting feedback at more advanced levels, said Kropp.

“In the district, Rossmoor has been a leader in Writer’s Workshop,” added Kropp.

Rossmoor Elementary is not only high performing, it also made strides in closing the achievement gap among subgroups of students, added Kropp. This year, the school earned a 949 on the Academic Performance Index, which uses standardized tests to rate student learning. The score is higher than the district average, and all schools in the district earned scores among the top 10 or 20 percent statewide.

“The schools we are recognizing today demonstrate the incredible commitment of California's teachers, administrators, and school employees to provide a world-class education to every student, in spite of the financial hardships facing our state and our schools," State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said. "Their dedication is inspiring, and I applaud and admire their passion and persistence."

Schools earning the Distinguished School title agree to share their signature practices with other schools and serve as mentors to other educators who want to replicate their work.