McGarvin Intermediate School Recognized on California Schools to Watch List

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

McGarvin Intermediate School was recognized among “California Schools to Watch” for 2025, the California Department of Education’s (CDE) top honor for high-performing middle schools. McGarvin is one of only eight middle schools in Orange County and 46 middle schools from across the state to receive this recognition for the first time in 2025.

“Congratulations to the McGarvin Intermediate School community on this tremendous recognition” said Board of Education Trustee Dina Nguyen. “Teachers, staff, and administration have done an exceptional job of making the needs of the students its top priority and this recognition validates their commitment to cultivating a warm and welcoming culture where students are able to thrive and succeed.”

The schools to watch program recognizes schools who focus on supporting the whole child through academic excellence, social-emotional support, developmental responsiveness, and systems that foster innovation. The program is unique in that all administrators and teachers at a candidate school must complete an extensive rubric that evaluates the school’s systems as part of the application process.

Earlier this school year, McGarvin was also recognized on the California Honor Roll List by the Education Results Partnership and a U.S. News and World Report Best Middle School.