On Tuesday, State Superintendent of Public Schools Tom Torlakson announced that 275 California middle and high schools were being recognized as part of the state’s Gold Ribbon Schools Award Program. Among them are Benicia Middle School and Benicia High School.

The Gold Ribbon program honors schools throughout the state while the previous program, California Distinguished Schools, is on hiatus as the state creates new assessment programs. Schools throughout California applied based on standards-based activities, strategies, projects, programs or practices that serve as models that other schools can follow.

“These terrific schools are leading the way in embracing our new rigorous academic standards and showing others how to help students succeed on their way to 21st century careers and college,” Torlakson said in a statement.

Of the thousands of secondary schools in California, 477 applied in 2016. Of these, 275 received the honor, including Benicia Middle and Benicia High.

BMS Principal Damian Scott was pleased with seeing the hard work of staff and students pay off.

“It’s an indication of a lot of different elements of what’s going on here,” he said. “We’ve been all really working together to try and help our kids. It’s a nice honor for our staff, kids and community.”

For the visitation team that showed up in March, Benicia Middle School chose to highlight the school’s focus on supporting the social emotional needs of the students. These included three of the school’s programs: Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Where Everybody Belongs (WEB) and Sources of Strength. WEB, a sixth-grade transition program, has been in place at BMS for a long time. The school began work on PBIS— which establishes behavioral support and a social environment that allows students to achieve social, emotional and academic success— during the 2015-16 school year, but 2016-17 was the first full year for the program. It was also the first year for Sources of Strength, in which peer groups get together to foster a sense of positivity for students dealing with anxiety or depression. Scott said the two newer programs will continue to be honed in the future.

“We’ve learned a lot about how to refine those and expand it so everyone has access to them,” he said.

Additionally, Benicia Middle School was named as a Title 1 Academic Achieving School, which is given to schools that receive federal Title 1 funds that help meet the needs of low-income students. Scott called the honor a bonus.

“I didn’t know we were going to get it, so that was actually a nice surprise to see that,” he said. “That additional reward recognizes the diversity of our school and the success we’re having.”

Benicia High Principal Brianna Kleinschmidt was also thrilled with the outcome and said that students have been excited about the consideration and have asked her when it would become official. The school announced the selection yesterday during the daily announcements.

“I think there’s a lot of excitement among campus to be recognized in such a great way,” she said.

For its visitation team, BHS chose to highlight its Visual and Performing Arts program, including its art, dance, drama and band programs. Student artwork was put on display for the team, and student ambassador Devin Holden took the team through various classes, including the musical theater class and wind ensemble. Additionally, students Madison Goodmiller, Kelton Glidewell, Jason Kirby and Anthony Maselli gave a tour of the “Escape Room,” which houses art, robotics and math classrooms.

Maintaining the high quality of the visual and performing arts department is a high priority for BHS, as is expanding the career and technical education department and adding medical and construction career pathways, which Kleinschmidt said it would do next year. The various courses, she said, would provide more options for students and prepare them for college.

“It all complements itself well and provides more choice for students,” she said.

Additionally, Kleinschmidt said the school is being considered for an Exemplary Art Program award and would hear back soon if it was named.

Kleinschmidt said past staff deserve a lot of credit, including Christine Mani, the former head of the drama and dance programs who recently left for a teaching position in Solano Community College’s theater department.

“(She) really developed and grew our drama and dance program,” she said.

The community, Kleinschmidt said, also played a big part, including Stage One Dance Center and the Benicia Public Library, which have helped choreograph dance shows and host student artwork respectively.

“We’re proud to be recognized as a Gold Ribbon School because it validates the hard work of our staff, our students and our community who support the great work that’s happening here at Benicia High School,” she said.

Scott echoed these sentiments.

“A lot, if not all, of the hard work that went into it is from students who are part of programs and staff who have guided and facilitated them,” he said.

Charles Young, the superintendent of Benicia Unified School District, praised the hard work the staff at both schools had done to earn the honor.

“It’s very exciting, and I’m very proud of the high-quality work the teachers at both the middle and high school are doing on behalf of the kids,” he said. “It’s an honor to get this recognition.”

All of the Gold Ribbon Schools will be honored at regional ceremonies in May.

“I look forward to traveling the state to honor these schools and to help share the programs, methods, and techniques that are working,” Torlakson said.

In the past three years, all seven of BUSD’s schools have been honored by the state. Matthew Turner Elementary School was named as a California Distinguished School in 2014. The other three elementary schools were named as Gold Ribbon schools in 2016, and earlier this year, Liberty High School was named as a Model Continuation High School.