Sun Valley High School recently received the 2015 Resilience in Education School of the Year Award, with 15 staff members being presented the award during the National Resilience in Education Conference, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“This award is validation of our dedication and hard work over the past 19 years,” said Shawn Coats, MEd, assistant principal of vocational education at Sun Valley High School. “As a staff, it solidifies our efforts and allows us to celebrate our success. It also reassures our students, parents, neighbors and community members we are providing a high-quality education.”
The resiliency award serves as a reminder of the mission of Sun Valley High School, created in 1997, to provide a new approach in education. It also reaffirms the commitment of the school to the changing educational landscape.
“We are humbled and honored to have our school nationally recognized for serving our community over the past 19 years, and for making a difference in the lives of so many young people,” said Shawn.
This award has an interesting history, which began with Pat Quinn, a national specialist in education. In 2003, he was invited to speak at Sun Valley High School, a Leona Group school. This began a relationship between Pat and Sun Valley High School, which continues to this day.
“Pat was so impressed by our ability to create relationships, he continued to reference Sun Valley and utilize our holistic approach to education,” Shawn stated. “This relationship brought us to the attention of WhyTry and Golden Rule School organizations.”
Sun Valley High School was created to serve a marginalized and at-risk population in the East Valley. The school has revolutionized education for the at-risk student by focusing on creating significant, meaningful relationships, which help these students to overcome obstacles, and gives them hope of earning a high school diploma.
This approach has translated to more than 3,700 students who may not have graduated at all. “Our ability to focus on each individual student’s needs allows us to tailor the educational experience,” explained Shawn.
Sun Valley High School is located on the northeast corner of Lindsay Road and Southern Avenue. For more information, please visit SunValleyMesa.com, or call (480) 497-4800.