This annual award showcases schools that apply psychological science to promote student academic and social-emotional growth and success.
The award was presented by Gale Sinatra, PhD, a professor of education at the University of Southern California and president of APA’s Div. 15, which represents educational psychology, at an event held on Oct. 6, 2018 in Laguna Beach. The primary purpose of the event was to provide an opportunity to unify professionals, elected officials, members of surrounding school districts, policy makers, parents and community members interested in developing a collective action plan for addressing social-emotional learning and psychological needs of children at all ages across all schools and communities.
In addition to the award, Mayor of Laguna Beach Kelly Boyd presented a proclamation to Anneliese Schimmelpfennig, the founder of the schools, in recognition of the award as well as 50 years the schools have contributed to the community.
The schools were selected to receive the award because of the breadth and depth of instructional programs and engagement that promote academic achievement and social-emotional learning and development. Their overarching mission of cultivating intelligence and empowering potential are reflected in differentiated instruction in traditional academics as well as in programs of mindfulness, animal care, environmental studies and nutritional education.
“Anneliese Schools excels in a multitude of factors that make them a model for incorporating much-needed psychological principles in instruction,” said Sinatra.
Selection for the Golden Psi Award is based on factors that include educational adaptations shown to be appropriate for a school’s demographic makeup; the use of evidence-based interventions; measurable academic and/or social-emotional growth; and monitoring of an individual’s or group’s progress.
“Anneliese Schools provided compelling evidence that their educational efforts result in measurable and meaningful change in student academic and social-emotional growth,” said Tammy Hughes, PhD, chair of the Golden Psi Award selection committee.
Anneliese Schools received a trophy and a check for $1,000 and will be publicized with a poster display at the education booth at the American Psychological Association convention, on the APA website and in the APA Monitor on Psychology.
For more information, listen to this podcastopens in new window of this event.
Names and titles of people in the Golden Psi Award picture (5 people), from left to right:
Barbara A. Hastie, PhD
Adjunct professor, University of Florida & University of Wisconsin
Founder and CEO, POWER!, and co-founder and director of Research, AHEAD 360o
Consultant to Anneliese Schools
Gale M. Sinatra, PhD
Professor of education and psychology, University of Southern California
President of American Psychological Association Div. 15 Educational Psychology
Past member of the APA Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education
Corinne Manetto, PhD
Pre-school program director
Anneliese Schools
Colleen A. Kraft, MD, FAAP
President, American Academy of Pediatrics
Wendy Bana, PhD
Director of curriculum and instruction
Anneliese Schools-Aliso Campus