South Pointe Middle School was among the 13 schools in California awarded the Exemplary Arts Award by state superintendent Tom Torlakson. This award was given to schools that had demonstrated successful or innovative efforts in promoting the arts. Schools selected for the honor also exemplified the goals outlined by Torlakson in his Blueprint for Great Schools report, which emphasized the need to foster excellence in teaching, provide community support for families, and retool schools to make students more competitive in college and the workforce.
In addition to high academic achievement, the chosen schools were honored for dedicating time and resources to educational arts programs that bolstered the creativity of students, encouraging the growth of their personal interests. These schools have also shown school-wide and community support for standard-based arts programs across multiple disciplines.
The prestigious award is also directly linked to CREATE CA, a collaboration between agencies and organizations across the state dedicated to furthering and enhancing arts education in California.
In regards to the award, South Pointe Principal Susan Arzola told the Diamond Bar-Walnut Patch, “We are fortunate to have a staff dedicated to ensuring [that] our students are prepared for their future. The cross-curricular connections of the Arts enhance learning and provide rigor while instilling a joy that students carry with them for a lifetime.”
