LAX Leader

 Ford Boulevard Elementary & Dual Language Academy (Ford Boulevard Elementary) is the first Los Angeles Unified school to be recognized with the Seal of Excellence School Award by the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE). Inaugurated in 1996, the Seal of Excellence School Award honors exemplary biliteracy programs throughout California, and has established successful programs for dual language and English learner students. 

Ford Boulevard Elementary will be one of five schools in California awarded the CABE 2023 Seal of Excellence School Award on March 24, 2023, at CABE’s Awards Banquet in Long Beach. 

“Congratulations to Ford Boulevard Elementary, the first, but certainly not the last, Los Angeles Unified school to receive this prestigious award,” Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said. “The CABE Seal of Excellence School Award is a testament to the school’s high-achieving instruction, where our employees, students and parents work collaboratively and in tandem to ensure students are biliterate in English and Spanish. I am extremely proud of our dual language programs which equip students with unimaginable possibilities.” 

“It’s now clear that knowing another language and being culturally aware is a competitive advantage in almost any career track, which is why the District has made it a priority for as many students who are interested to have the opportunity to learn a second language,” Board President Jackie Goldberg said. “Today, we celebrate Ford Boulevard Elementary in East Los Angeles for being the first Los Angeles Unified school to receive the Seal of Excellence Award in the field of multilingual education. Congratulations to the hard-working staff and administrators of Ford for their dedication and leadership.”  

“Congratulations to Ford Boulevard Elementary & Dual Language Academy for receiving the California Association for Bilingual Education Seal of Excellence Award,” Board Vice President Scott M. Schmerelson said. “This is an important recognition for bilingual programs that offer an excellent education for both dual language and English learners. ¡Enhorabuena!” 

“Congratulations to Ford Elementary for this prestigious recognition by the California Association for Bilingual Education,” Board Member Dr. George J. McKenna III said. “We hope to see other dual language programs receive the Seal of Excellence in the years to come.”  

“I am overjoyed that Ford Boulevard Elementary – one of 214 Los Angeles Unified's dual language programs – has been honored with the Seal of Excellence School Award,” Board Member Dr. Rocío Rivas said. “Ford Boulevard Elementary epitomizes the values and priorities of successful dual language programs which empower English language learners in their native language, emphasize cultural literacy, build bridges between generations and among communities, and nurture diversity and academic success.”   

“Congratulations to Ford Elementary on this well-deserved honor,” Board Member Nick Melvoin said. “I am proud to see this exemplary biliteracy program recognized—and will continue pushing to support all our thriving language immersion programs and expand these opportunities into more of our school communities districtwide.” 

“Congratulations to Ford Boulevard Elementary & Dual Language Academy for being the first LAUSD school to receive this honor,” Board Member Kelly Gonez said. “We are so proud, and we encourage our families to consider one of the many amazing dual language programs in our district.” 

“Congratulations to Ford Boulevard Elementary for being recognized with the first Seal of Excellence School Award by the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) in LA Unified,” Board Member Tanya Ortiz Franklin said. “Thank you teachers, staff, and parents for your dedication in working together to close the achievement gap for our English Learners and Dual Language Students. ¡Muchas felicidades por el logro!” 

“We are incredibly proud of Ford Boulevard Elementary’s top-notch dual language program, a pillar in our East Los Angeles community,” Region East Superintendent Jose P. Huerta said. “Mastering two languages simultaneously prepares students to be competitive and successful for the 21st century. At Ford Boulevard Elementary, teachers are excited to teach, students are inspired to learn, parents are engaged and Principal An Nguyen leads with corazon.” 

“The seal represents nearly two decades of commitment by leadership, teachers, staff, students, parents and the community of East Los Angeles to prepare our students for a lifetime of success,” Ford Boulevard Elementary principal An Nguyen said. “All of this was made possible by the teamwork and dedication of our entire Ford Boulevard Elementary family/community.” 

Los Angeles Unified offers 214 dual language programs throughout the district in Arabic, Armenian, French, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin and Spanish. Region East offers 82 dual language programs in Arabic, French, Mandarin and Spanish. 

Original source can be found here.