The Orange County Department of Education [OCDE] recognized Sunny Hills as one of the 12 Impact Schools in the county — making it the only school from the Fullerton Joint Union High School District to make the list, according to the OCDE’s Monday, Oct. 13, article.

The OCDE wrote the initiative is a new effort to “highlight innovative practices and create opportunities for shared learning among educators,” emphasizing that the distinction functions more as a professional exchange than a competitive award. 

The organization said this year’s selections resulted from an informal nomination process in which members of its Educational Services leadership team recommended schools demonstrating innovative approaches that meaningfully benefit students. After an internal review to ensure a diverse selection of grades and programs, Sunny Hills was among the 12 campuses chosen for the inaugural group.

OCDE officials said they plan to formalize the nomination process in the future, given that the designation has been positively received by the OC community.

Principal Craig Weinreich informed staff of the news in a Friday, Oct. 10, email to faculty, writing that the recognition was “an amazing acknowledgement of all of the hard work and dedication that each of [the staff members] has brought to Sunny Hills over the past several years.”

Weinreich said that the award acknowledges Sunny Hills for supporting students beyond academics.

“It’s not just an academic award or an improvement award,” he said. “It looks at the totality of what a school does and how it impacts its students.”

The principal said that being the only school selected in the district reflects the efforts of both students and staff.

“It just shows that our kids are doing great things and that our teachers are giving them many opportunities,” he said. “It’s nice to get that recognition countywide.”

Following its distinction, Sunny Hills will receive a physical certificate, a special banner to display on campus and a digital badge to showcase on the school’s official website, according to the OCDE.

“Sunny Hills has a long-standing reputation for academic excellence and a strong school culture,” said Dr. Jonathan Swanson, OCDE executive director of Curriculum, Instruction and Academic Enrichment. “The campus continues to demonstrate creative approaches that support student success, which is why it stood out as one of our inaugural Impact Schools.”

Over the next several months, OCDE’s visiting teams will return to each Impact School to observe classrooms, speak with students and staff and gather examples of practices that can be shared with other schools across the county.

“It’s a chance for them to see firsthand the things that are going on,” Weinreich said. “A lot of the people hadn’t been to our campus before, so these visits help them understand what makes Sunny Hills special.”

Athletic director Paul Jones said he hopes the ongoing visits will allow the OCDE to gain a deeper look at campus life.

“You can’t see how exceptional our school is in one day,” Jones said. “They need to keep coming back to see what makes Sunny, Sunny.”

The athletic director said the recognition reflects what he sees daily among students, teachers and staff.

“Our school was already awesome, but the award confirms what most of us already know,” he said. “Sunny is a great place, and it’s kind of a hidden gem.”

Senior Yasleen Hawkins, who transferred from Buena Park High School as a sophomore for stronger academic opportunities and a more competitive volleyball program, said Sunny Hills’s atmosphere differs from her previous school.

“The environment here is really goal-driven,” Hawkins said. “Sunny Hills pushes you to be your best, academically and personally.”

Upon hearing about the nomination, the senior said the Impact School recognition felt fitting on account of the level of engagement on campus. 

“Everyone is involved — [the] ASB [Associated Student Body], teachers and students,” she said. “I’m honestly proud and excited because Sunny Hills deserves to get recognition for what it does.”

Sophomore Mason Martinez said the award affirms the type of student culture he feels on campus, something he didn’t experience at Golden Hill Elementary or Parks Junior High.

“More than anything, I would say the title confirms Sunny and especially the students as people who are willing to get involved in our school life,” Martinez said. “The student culture, I’d say, is one where everyone feels connected not just to each other but to the staff and programs.”

Freshman Aidan Caldera, who chose Sunny Hills over his home school, La Habra High School, said the campus being named an Impact School accurately reflects his experiences.

“It’s well deserved — everyone was very welcoming to me, and nothing felt too harsh coming in,” he said. “Everyone was in the same boat, so it made things easier.”

Caldera said that the school’s variety of activities contributes to the positive school atmosphere.

“There’s just a lot of different programs; we have soccer, water polo and all the sports, and then there’s different clubs that recognize different groups of people,” he said. “We should be recognized for their diversity in that sense.”

International Baccalaureate coordinator Scott Rosenkranz said visiting educators from other campuses have also noticed the school’s atmosphere.

“When English teachers from other schools come here and see students at break and lunch, how they treat each other and how involved they are, people are immediately impressed,” Rosenkranz said. “There’s just a certain vibe that Sunny Hills has that is really valuable and really attractive.”

He said he feels it’s great that Sunny Hills got recognized alongside its other distinctions, such as being a National Blue Ribbon School and a California Distinguished School.

“’We have a great school, and it’s nice that at the county level, they’re recognizing it,” Rosenkranz said. “This is another icing on the cake that shows this is a great place where we get to learn and grow.”