BELL INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL in West Garden Grove (GGUSD photo).

This week, Bell Intermediate School was named to the 2017-2018 “Schools to Watch – Taking Center Stage” program, the California Department of Education’s top honor for high-performing middle schools.  Garden Grove Unified School District’s Bell was one of only three middle schools from across Orange County and 22 in California to receive this prestigious recognition.

On Feb. 28, at 10 a.m., school staff, students, parents, district administrators, Board of Education members, and community leaders will come together in the school’s quad to celebrate Bell Intermediate School’s selection as one of ‘California’s 2018 Schools to Watch – Taking Center Stage’ model middle schools.  The celebration will feature an address to the student body as well as a banner presentation.

“Bell Intermediate School staff, students, and parents should be commended for this wonderful accolade that recognizes their success helping students achieve high academic standards,” said Board of Education Trustee Teri Rocco.  “Receiving this spotlight, as a state and national leader among middle schools, reaffirms the hard work taking place at this school each and every day.”

Bell Intermediate School has adopted a school-wide focus on closing the achievement gap and offers an extensive mentoring and after-school tutoring program for math and literacy skills. Additionally, staff and students have demonstrated great success in creating a culture of kindness and acceptance. Bell Intermediate School will be honored, along with the other Schools to Watch, at a ceremony in Sacramento in March and will be recognized as a National School to Watch at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. in June.

Dr. Irvin Howard, past-president of the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform, noted, “Hilton D. Bell Intermediate School is a model of what an outstanding middle school can be. School leaders from across the state will now turn to Bell Intermediate for guidance on improving their programs to better serve their students.”

Bell Intermediate School serves seventh and eighth grade students in west side of the GGUSD, which serves most of Garden Grove as well as parts of Anaheim, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Santa Ana, Stanton and Westminster.