CITY OF INDUSTRY – Glen A. Wilson High School has been named a 2024 California Distinguished School by the California Department of Education (CDE), recognizing Glen A. Wilson which is among 293 secondary schools honored for demonstrating exceptional student performance and achieved accelerated academic growth for one or more historically underserved student groups.

To be selected, the CDE used multiple measures to identify eligible schools based on their performance on the state indicators specified in the 2023 California School Dashboard. Glen A. Wilson received top scores in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics, receiving more than a 10-point increase from its 2022 indicators in both categories. The English Language Learner indicator also marked the school as “very high” in college and career readiness.

“I am a proud alumna of Glen A. Wilson High, and the school has continued to grow in spirit, school climate, and success throughout the years,” Board President Christine H. Salazar said. “Wilson would not be what it is today without its highly engaged students, teachers, staff, faculty, and, of course, it’s phenomenal principal, Dr. Danielle Kenfield. Wilson has been named a National Blue Ribbon School this school year, ranked in the top four percent of high schools in the nation based on the U.S. News & World Report, and is now the proud recipient of the prestigious California Distinguished School Award. Congratulations, Wildcats!”

The measurements were scored based on the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment or State California Alternate Assessment, taken annually by students in grades 3-8 and during their junior year in high school. Wilson’s California School Dashboard performance overview included a score of 92.1 points above the grade-level standard in ELA and 44.9 points above the standard in mathematics for all students. For its socioeconomically disadvantaged students, Wilson received 62.2 points above the grade-level standard in ELA and 4.7 points above the standard in mathematics. Additionally, the school received a 71.1 percent college and career readiness indicator, with a “high” ranking for socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

“I believe Wilson’s achievements can be best attributed to our staff members’ belief in our students and our schoolwide commitment to support our students in reaching their potential,” Kenfield said. “With input from our educational partners, parents, students, staff, advisory groups, and community members, every decision is guided by our commitment to prepare our students for a successful transition to college and career upon high school graduation.”

Wilson offers its students seven unique career technical education pathways, providing hands-on experience in industry fields such as arts and media, child development, business, biomedical science, culinary arts, engineering, and computer science. Students can further engage with their passions through the more than 50 clubs on campus, including Cyber Patriot, Health Occupations Students of America, Speech and Debate, Key Club, robotics, and more.

Additionally, Glen A. Wilson’s Science Olympiad team has clinched numerous titles, including first place overall at the Los Angeles County Regionals Tournament for the past three years. Wilson earned its most recent championship title on March 2 and is preparing to compete at the California State Tournament in April.

Wilson follows a comprehensive instructional initiative framework designed to empower students by giving them the authority, capacity, and responsibility to own their learning for college and career readiness. This is accomplished by providing students opportunities to communicate their thinking and reasoning while challenging them to creatively solve “real world” problems.

“Our entire student body is thrilled to win another award for not only achieving academic excellence but ensuring our students who are English Learners and come from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background are also breaking barriers by excelling inside the classroom and engaging in our programs and clubs,” senior school Board student representative Emily Axelrod said. “One thing that I think makes our District stand out is the support and closeness we have within our community. It is not something we naturally have; we create it.”

In addition to its award-winning programs, athletics, and clubs, Wilson prides itself on hosting various Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and Visual and Performing Arts events, athletic competitions, and cultural celebrations year-round, which strive to engage elementary and middle school students and families within the Wilson community.

“On behalf of the entire Board of Education, we are proud to honor yet another remarkable achievement that identifies the hard work, leadership, and passion that lives at Wilson,” Jiménez said. “At Hacienda La Puente Unified, we focus on creating life-long learners, and our Wildcats continue to blaze a trail and set a great example of the positive results we achieve when focusing on the power of community, inspiring deeper learning, and promoting civic engagement.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

HLPUSD_WILSON1: Glen A. Wilson High School principal Dr. Danielle Kenfield congratulates class of 2023 graduates during a commencement ceremony on May 18.

HLPUSD_WILSON2: Glen A. Wilson’s Science Olympiad team shares inspirational words before winning the Los Angeles County Regionals Tournament for the third year in a row on March 2.