South Pas High Named a California Distinguished School

South Pasadena High was among 218 schools in the state that earned the distinction California Distinguished Schools today, officials announced Thursday.

"These schools have gone the extra mile to provide high-quality instruction that puts their students on the right path toward career and college," Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction, said in a prepared statement.

"Given the enormous challenges schools have faced in recent years, it is inspiring to see this kind of success in so many schools," Torlakson said.

As reported in South Pas Patch on March 21, five administrators from the Los Angeles County Office of Education visited South Pas High that week to validate the school's application for California Distinguished School. Superintendent Joel Shapiro said then that the team shared their very positive recommendation that SPHS would receive the distinction again.

At SPHS, the team found "outstanding collaboration'' among the staff, excellent student engagement, strong parental support and an overall campus that exudes a safe environment, he said. 

SPHS was the only South Pas school eligible to apply for the esteemed status this year, since the others have received the honor within the past four years, Shapiro said. A school must wait at least four years to re-apply, since the designation is good for four years. Additionally, this was the year for secondary schools to apply, so the middle school was the only other possibility, and they received it two years ago.

For a full list of California schools that received the honor of Distinguished School, click here. 

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