Castaic Middle School (CMS) has been recognized as a 2021 School to Watch (STW) for forward-thinking programming and academic excellence.

Castaic Middle School has been recognized as a 2021 School to Watch by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform in association with the California League of Schools, California Department of Education, and California Middle Grades Alliance.

CMS is an original designee of the California School to Watch award since its inception in 2003 and has been redesignated every three years for a total of six times (2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2021).

California’s School to Watch program uses a competitive and rigorous process to identify high-performing, high-impact middle schools so all middle schools may have models of real-world success, officials said.

The School to Watch award is presented to schools that demonstrate forward-thinking and success in four specific categories: Academic Excellence, Excellence in Developmentally Responsiveness, Excellence in Social Equity, and Excellence in Structures for Success.

Castaic Middle School engaged in an extensive application process that highlighted efforts taken daily by administrative personnel and staff members to ensure student connectivity with peers, teachers, academics, and the school site, officials said.

In addition to meeting the challenges of its student populations and sharing a strong, ongoing record of student achievement, Castaic Middle School is expected to assist with selecting future STW awardees while guiding, advising, and mentoring staff from other middle schools on academic performance and improvement efforts.

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