BY LENA MAGEE
The Westside Express
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond named Grasslands Elementary School a 2025 California Distinguished School. Grasslands Elementary was among only 336 elementary schools to receive this distinction and one of only two from Merced County.
The California Department of Education created the California Distinguished Schools Award in 1985 to recognize exceptional schools, districts and educators across the state. The award recognizes schools in two areas: closing the achievement gap and demonstrating exceptional student performance.
Schools were evaluated based on information from the 2024 California School Dashboard, specifically looking at factors like growth in academic performance, excellence in academics, and the promotion of a positive school climate.
Since Grasslands Elementary opened in 2020, school staff has worked hard to show students that they are valued and get them excited to come to school.
Margarita Ordunez, principal of Grasslands Elementary, highlighted the collective effort of teachers, the parents club, school counselors and Vice Principal Kevin Coleman in keeping students engaged and interested in school.
“This honor belongs to each and every one of you. Over the past three years, we have worked diligently to create a school environment where students feel valued, supported, and excited to learn. Through our collective efforts — identifying essential standards, analyzing student data and providing targeted interventions — we have built a strong foundation for student success,” said Principal Ordunez.
School staff have worked to create a positive school climate, offering fun incentives for students to come to school in a successful effort to decrease chronic absenteeism and suspension rates.
Academically, the school has seen significant growth. Grasslands has seen a 9.2 percent increase in reading and language art skills and a 13.5 percent increase in math in state testing.
Ordunez pointed to the school’s motto as a guiding principle of the school’s success.
“Our school motto is simple but powerful: Work hard. Do good. Be kind. It guides everything we do,” said Principal Ordunez.
As a recipient of this award, Grasslands will hold the title of a distinguished school for two years.
Mark Marshall, superintendent of the Los Banos Unified School District, noted the significance of this distinction for the school district.
“This recognition is particularly significant as Grasslands becomes only the second elementary school in Los Banos Unified School District history to earn this distinction, following Los Banos Elementary in 1995,” said Superintendent Marshall.
Grasslands Elementary and other 2025 California Distinguished Schools will be recognized at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim on May 30.
