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Coyote Creek Elementary School in San Ramon has been recognized for its exceptional arts program, having been named a California Exemplary Arts Education School by the state’s Department of Education.
One of only 13 schools to receive the prestigious designation, San Ramon Valley Unified School District officials say the recognition was given as a part of the state’s California Schools Recognition Program, which seeks to laud schools, districts and individuals for advancing excellence in education.
“The entire Coyote Creek community — staff, students and parents — are to be commended for their focus on arts education,” Superintendent Rick Schmitt said in a statement. “This is the first year that Coyote Creek has been officially designated as an Integrated Arts School for the Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) in the SRVUSD. To see them honored for their work in their first year is truly exceptional and speaks to the hard work and commitment of everyone in that school community to bring the arts to every student.”
District officials say Coyote Creek was designed to be an Integrated Arts School beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, and in addition to a rigorous academic program offers students theater, music, visual art, dance and media arts experiences. Adding that these courses are offered as independent classes and as interdisciplinary subjects “woven into core content areas.”
Officials say the schools were selected for demonstrating broad-based achievement in Arts instruction and for advancing the Arts for all students.
In addition to meeting the state’s Arts Standards and performance and progress eligibility criteria, qualifying schools must also show a level of improvement in suspension rates, chronic absenteeism, graduation rates or general academic achievement.
In addition to Coyote Creek Elementary, two SRVUSD schools, Hidden Hills and Sycamore Valley Elementary Schools, were named as California Distinguished schools this past December. Schools recognized hold the title for two years.
California Exemplary Arts Education Schools, along with California Distinguished Schools, National Blue Ribbon Schools, National Terrel H. Bell Awardees, and National ESEA Distinguished Schools, all will be honored on Feb. 10, during an awards ceremony at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.