Nestled in the mountainous back country of San Diego County, this California school is surprising in its cutting-edge approach to education. Its rich social services and caring staff spur its diverse student body to dream big, help others, and strive for limitless academic achievement. Julian Elementary School is a far cry from your traditional neighborhood school. Located in a district that covers 600 square miles of isolated mountain and desert regions, including two Indian reservations, it nonetheless has the intimacy and friendliness of a close-knit family. What other schools might perceive as impediments—57 percent of its students are on free or reduced-price lunch, and 40 percent are minorities—does not deter Julian in its mission to demand high academic and moral performance of all. After all, a district whose boundaries range from the floor of a desert to the top of a mountain is used to conquering obstacles.
Read more about Julian in the 2010 NSOC book: “Strong Character and Limitless Academic Achievement.”
Signature Practices
Lesson Plan: Responsibility and Jobs
The learner will name community jobs/helpers, define responsibility and identify responsible behavior.
Promising Practice: Garden Ambassadors
Fifth grade students apply for the position of garden ambassadors through a written application and an interview.
Promising Practice: DREAM Friday
Teaching the standards and benchmarks to our students is our main goal, but DREAM Fridays have created an opportunity to expose the students to integrate life skills into their academic environment.
Contact Information
Susi JonesExecutive Director, Julian Pathways
1704 Cape Horn Avenue Julian, California
Phone: 760-765-2228
Email: julianhs@sdcoe.net
Website: www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/districts/julianel