Long Beach Unified School District teachers, staff and administrators celebrated earlier this week, recognizing several campuses for making significant academic progress and improving student outcomes.
More than 40 schools were honored during the district’s inaugural “Horizon Awards,” which was meant to celebrate achievements in mathematics, English language arts, attendance and graduation rates, among other campus accomplishments, Superintendent David Zaid said during the Monday, Nov. 2, event at Cabrillo High School.
“Every school has a story worth celebrating, and every school has progress worth building upon, and every school has a horizon yet to reach,” Zaid said during the event. “We honor the work of every school, and we recommit ourselves to the success of every child, because when one of us rises, we all have an opportunity to rise.”
Many schools were recognized multiple times for their achievements. As the awards were given out, the schools’ teachers, staff and administrators cheered and celebrated as they accepted their honors – which were 3D printed by Cabrillo students, district officials said.
Marshall Academy attended Long Beach Unified School District’s inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Wilson High School sharing its achievements during Long Beach Unified School District’s inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Unified School District Superintendent David Zaid spoke during the district’s inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Mann Elementary School sharing its achievements during Long Beach Unified School District’s inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Unified School District hosted its inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
(L-R) Long Beach Unified School District’s 2026 Teacher of the Year, Denise Hazel Ramirez Anguiano, a fourth-grade teacher at Whittier Elementary School, was recognized by Board Vice President Erik Miller during the district’s inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Unified School District hosted its inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Unified School District hosted its inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Lincoln Elementary School sharing its achievements during Long Beach Unified School District’s inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
McBride High School sharing its achievement during Long Beach Unified School District’s inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Unified School District hosted its inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Lindsey Academy and Lincoln Elementary School share their achievements during Long Beach Unified School District’s inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Webster Elementary School sharing its achievement during Long Beach Unified School District’s inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Unified School District Superintendent David Zaid spoke during the district’s inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach Unified School District hosted its inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
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Marshall Academy attended Long Beach Unified School District’s inaugural “Horizon Awards” on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at Cabrillo High School. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
For English language arts achievement, schools were honored for having more than 70% of their students have a positive two-year increase in proficiency. The schools recognized were Carver Elementary, Cubberley K-8 School, Keller Middle, Kettering Elementary, Lowell Elementary, Tincher Preparatory, and Roger Middle School.
Schools recognized for having more than 40% of elementary school or 50% of middle school students meeting the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium – the state-mandated English language arts and math tests – growth target, with a 2-year increase, were Addams Elementary, Barton Elementary, Franklin Middle, Herrera Elementary, Lindbergh Academy, Lindsey Academy, Newcomb K-8 School and Prisk Elementary School.
Schools recognized for an increase in proficiency on SBAC in English language arts for three consecutive years were Barton Elementary, Cubberly K-8 School, Hughes Middle, Keller Middle, Lincoln Elementary, Lindsey Academy, Longfellow Elementary, Mann Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Stevenson Elementary, Tincher Preparatory, Washington Middle and Webster Elementary School.
For math achievement, schools were recognized for having more than 70% of its elementary or 60% of its middle school students with a positive two-year increase in proficiency. Those schools were Carver Elementary, Gant Elementary, Keller Middle, Kettering Elementary, Lowell Elementary, Naples Elementary, Prisk Elementary, Rogers Middle, and Tincher Preparatory.
Schools recognized for having more than 40% of elementary or 50% of middle school students meeting SBAC growth target in math, with a two-year increase, were Bancroft Middle, Cubberley K-8 School, Keller Middle, Kettering Elementary, Muir Academy, Newcomb K-8 School, Powell Academy, Prisk Elementary, Rogers Middle, Washington Middle and Tincher Preparatory.
Schools recognized for an increase in proficiency on SBAC in math for three consecutive years were Barton Elementary, Cubberley K-8 School, Dooley Elementary, Herrera Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Lindsey Academy, Los Cerritos Elementary, Sea Lions on 3rd Street (formerly Chavez Elementary), Stephens Middle, Washington Middle and Webster Elementary.
The California Academy of Mathematics and Science, the Sato Academy of Mathematics and Science, and Cabrillo, Jordan, McBride and Poly high schools were recognized for a two-year increase in students with passing grades in all of their A-G courses, which are required for to graduate. Poly and Wilson were also awarded for their increase in the cohort graduation rate, closing the gap between Black/African American students and all other students.
Starr King Elementary and Nelson Academy were awarded for improving attendance and decreasing chronic absenteeism, respectively.
Two schools also received $1,000 grants, which were donated to the district, for their participation in the event. Mann Elementary School received the “Spirit Award” and Wilson High School received the “Solidarity Award.” The superintendent also recognized Marshall Middle School because of its encouragement of other schools and for attending the event despite not receiving an award this year.
During the event, the district also recognized its 2026 Teacher of the Year, Denise Hazel Ramirez Anguiano, a fourth-grade educator at Whittier Elementary School. Ramirez Anguiano helped make a math progress tracker, which is now used across nearly every grade at Whittier, a testament to her instructional excellence and commitment to student-centered learning, district officials said. She has also brought elementary students into robotics and coding.
Before the award ceremony, more than a dozen schools hosted tables showcasing student learning in literacy, math, graduation, college readiness and attendance. The forum was meant for schools to share promising practices, gather feedback and learn from one another, according to district officials.
“Our goal is not to simply have 41 successful schools; our goal is to build a school district where excellence is not an exception, opportunity is not an accident and every child has a genuine chance to thrive,” Zaid said during the event, “and where we are able to realize the bold promise we made to our community in Vision 2035.”
The district will begin hosting a State of the District event in January, the superintendent said, during which schools and the community will have the opportunity to learn more about the “Horizon Awards” categories for next year.
“If you are from a school that is not receiving an award today, we want you to keep going, keep growing, keep believing, and we want to thank you for taking some of the stories back to your site to share them,” Zaid said, “because the horizon belongs to all of us, and we look forward to celebrating even more schools this exact same time next year.”