Congrats! The San Diego County Office of Education was selected as one of 60 recipients of California’s leading educational honor, the Golden Bell Award.
The awards are presented by the California School Boards Association to promote excellence in public education and school board governance by recognizing outstanding programs and governance practices. The awards reflect the depth and breadth of education programs necessary to address students’ changing needs.
SDCOE was honored in the School Culture & Safety category for the Policy to Practice: Suicide Intervention Toolkit. Since its launch in 2019, 16 school districts, 11 single-site charter schools, and four multi-charter school organizations across the county have implemented the toolkit to develop or enhance their unique district suicide intervention protocols.
In that time, nearly 1,500 suicide-risk screenings have been conducted, with schools using the toolkit reporting an increased comfort level, confidence, and capability among staff when talking with students about suicide risk.
County offices of education, districts, schools, and statewide agencies have adopted SDCOE’s toolkit as a model. The California Department of Education endorsed the toolkit, and SDCOE staff members have presented it at statewide meetings and webinars. The California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission uses the toolkit in their statewide Standardized Suicide Risk Screening training for educators.
“It is an honor to know that what our team put together is being used by local educational agencies across the state. County lines and ZIP codes do not matter; getting resources in the hands of those serving students is the priority,” said Mara Madrigal-Weiss, executive director of the Student Wellness and School Culture department. “I am grateful that the team’s dedication and commitment to excellence is being recognized.”
SDCOE received its award at CSBA’s Annual Education Conference and Trade Show held Nov. 30 through Dec. 2 in San Francisco.
A judging panel composed of experts from school districts and county offices of education across the state reviewed written entries and made initial recommendations. On-site validators then reviewed the recommendations and assessed the programs in action. This year’s Golden Bell winners demonstrated that they are addressing student needs through equity and access, school climate and safety, technology, and wellness.
“As we wrestle with the aftermath of the pandemic and address longstanding issues related to student success, it’s important to highlight school districts and county offices of education that demonstrate promising practices for closing opportunity and achievement gaps and supporting student wellness,” said CSBA CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy. “This year’s Golden Bell winners have developed remarkable programs that can serve as an example for schools across the state as they work to accelerate learning recovery and foster healthy school environments for all California students.”
The toolkit was created by the SDCOE Student Wellness and School Culture team. To learn more about the Golden Bell Awards and all the winners, visit http://awards.csba.org/golden-bell/
