California Elementary School was selected by the U.S. Department of Education as a 2003 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) – National Blue Ribbon School! United States Secretary of Education Rod Paige stated, “Schools chosen for the Blue Ribbon are ones that are meeting our mission to ensure that every child learns, and no child is left behind. Recipients are national models of excellence from which others can learn. California Elementary was also selected as a California Distinguished School in May 2002! Our success at California is a direct result of student motivation and enthusiasm for learning, staff commitment to excellence, and strong parent involvement. At our school, parents are welcomed as participants in student achievement. An exceptional PTA supports the academic program. Our motto is, “We Are Pulling Together For Student Success”. The school year consists of 184 days beginning the day after Labor Day and ending in June. Instructional hours are 7:40 AM to 1:48 PM for Grades 1-5 and 7:40 AM to 1:38 PM for Kindergarten. Every Wednesday, school dismisses at 12:43 and 12:53 in order to provide teachers with professional development opportunities.