School News
Mountain Way Elementary awarded prestigious honor
Published on Mon, Dec 6, 2010 by PRESS STAFFRead More Schools & Education
Mountain Way Elementary has been named a School of Distinction from the Center for Education Effectiveness (CEE) and Phi Delta Kappa. Only the top five percent of all schools in Washington State earn the award.
Sue Mills, CEE’s Executive Director said, “Educators in these schools are creating systems of support for outstanding, sustained improvement in reading and math student performance. This award celebrates the multi-year improvement in both reading and math not recognized in the federal No Child Left Behind law.”
Mountain Way received the award based on fourth grade scores from the 2010 Measurement of Student Performance state test (previously known as the WASL test). Schools must meet combined reading and math improvement requirements from 2005 to 2010. The award is also given to schools that meet the criteria in seventh and 10th grades.
Principal Cathie West said, “It is an honor to receive the School of Distinction Award—I am very proud of our students and the exemplary work of our dedicated teachers. The support we have received from our parents and the Granite Falls community has also been A+.” West has been principal at Mountain Way for nine years.
“While these schools are from all corners of Washington with varying methods of achieving this improvement, the students are the real winners of this award”, Mills said. “Their success needs to be celebrated and shared to support improvement efforts across Washington to make this difference for all students.”
Superintendent Karen Koschak has watched all the schools improve in her three years with the District. “I am so proud of Mrs. West and her staff and students. They have set the standard that we can, and will, improve student learning for all students,” she said. Koschak has worked with principals and staff over the past few years to develop a model of teaching called Rock Solid Instruction. The framework includes intentional instruction, student engagement, meaningful assessment, and establishing clear targets for students on what is expected.
All five Granite Falls schools have developed school improvement plans that directly relate to the District’s Strategic Plan. The main area of focus in the Strategic Plan is to improve the instructional core, which includes the connection between teachers’ knowledge and skill, students’ engagement in their own learning, and academically challenging content.
Koschak knows having the Strategic Plan, school improvement plans, and the Rock Solid Instruction template in place have a direct impact on teaching and learning.
“This award helps the staff realize that they are doing the right things in the classrooms,” she said. “The staff and students at Mountain Way should be very proud of their hard work. Being in the top five percent of all schools in the state is a remarkable achievement.”
Sue Mills, CEE’s Executive Director said, “Educators in these schools are creating systems of support for outstanding, sustained improvement in reading and math student performance. This award celebrates the multi-year improvement in both reading and math not recognized in the federal No Child Left Behind law.”
Mountain Way received the award based on fourth grade scores from the 2010 Measurement of Student Performance state test (previously known as the WASL test). Schools must meet combined reading and math improvement requirements from 2005 to 2010. The award is also given to schools that meet the criteria in seventh and 10th grades.
Principal Cathie West said, “It is an honor to receive the School of Distinction Award—I am very proud of our students and the exemplary work of our dedicated teachers. The support we have received from our parents and the Granite Falls community has also been A+.” West has been principal at Mountain Way for nine years.
“While these schools are from all corners of Washington with varying methods of achieving this improvement, the students are the real winners of this award”, Mills said. “Their success needs to be celebrated and shared to support improvement efforts across Washington to make this difference for all students.”
Superintendent Karen Koschak has watched all the schools improve in her three years with the District. “I am so proud of Mrs. West and her staff and students. They have set the standard that we can, and will, improve student learning for all students,” she said. Koschak has worked with principals and staff over the past few years to develop a model of teaching called Rock Solid Instruction. The framework includes intentional instruction, student engagement, meaningful assessment, and establishing clear targets for students on what is expected.
All five Granite Falls schools have developed school improvement plans that directly relate to the District’s Strategic Plan. The main area of focus in the Strategic Plan is to improve the instructional core, which includes the connection between teachers’ knowledge and skill, students’ engagement in their own learning, and academically challenging content.
Koschak knows having the Strategic Plan, school improvement plans, and the Rock Solid Instruction template in place have a direct impact on teaching and learning.
“This award helps the staff realize that they are doing the right things in the classrooms,” she said. “The staff and students at Mountain Way should be very proud of their hard work. Being in the top five percent of all schools in the state is a remarkable achievement.”
