The Wm. S. Hart Union High School District's diversity program will be honored in the 29th annual Golden Bell Awards program of the California School Boards Association.

The award is in the School Safety category and honors the Hart District Diversity Initiative under the direction of Diversity Coordinator Greg Lee.

More than 200 applications were received for this year's Golden Bell Awards program, which includes a written application and on-site validation visit from an elected school board member.

The CSBA Golden Bell Awards program promotes excellence in education by recognizing outstanding programs in school districts and county offices of education throughout California.

The Golden Bell Awards reflect the depth and breadth of the education programs necessary to address students' changing needs.

The Hart District's diversity initiative is based upon building a "culture of respect" among students, staff and administrators. The program reaches out into the community through collaborative efforts of the Hart District and the city of Santa Clarita.

The local program is honored for being proactive rather than reactive, reaching out to develop programs that benefit schools and the greater community.

The Hart District is one of the few in the state to have a full-time diversity coordinator on staff. The far-reaching diversity program includes staff development, student training, family involvement, inter-agency collaboration, student support, youth outreach, communications and a School Climate Survey.

"This award is really a recognition of the efforts being made by people working in various capacities across the district and city toward developing a greater appreciation of the diversity that strengthens our schools and our community," Lee said. "District teachers, counselors, administrators, our civic partners and especially, our students, continue to pull together for the benefit of all of us."

The Golden Bell program's goal is to contribute to the development and evaluation of curriculum, instruction and support services. The Hart District previously won a Golden Bell for its Intensive Literacy Program, designed to help students who are one or more years below grade level in reading and language arts.

This year's highly respected Golden Bell Awards will be presented at a special ceremony during CSBA's Awards Luncheon in San Diego on Saturday, Dec. 6. The event is held in conjunction with the California School Boards Association's Annual Education Conference.