Lake Washington School District leads state in OSPI’s Washington Achievement Awards

March 19, 2010 1:54 pm

Fourteen schools in the Lake Washington School District, more than any other district in the state, have been selected by The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) for Washington Achievement Awards. The 174 schools on the list, which “profoundly affect student learning,” will be recognized at celebrations around the state on May 5.

Schools will be recognized as top performers in six categories: Overall Excellence, Language Arts, Math, Science, Extended Graduation Rate, Gifted Education. Some schools are honored in more than one of these categories.

Ten Lake Washington schools will be recognized for overall excellence: Audubon Elementary, Juanita Elementary, Mann Elementary, McAuliffe Elementary, Mead Elementary, Redmond Elementary, Smith Elementary, Wilder Elementary, Inglewood Junior High and Eastlake High School. The eight elementary schools represent 15 percent of the elementary schools honored from the entire state.

Lake Washington schools also fared very well in science, with 20 percent (five out of 24) of the schools honored statewide. Three of the schools honored for overall achievement also were honored for their achievement in science: Mann, Mead and Smith Elementary Schools. In addition, Environmental and Adventure School and International Community School will be honored in science.

Dan Phelan, LWSD chief academic officer noted, “We have an inquiry-based approach to science that engages kids. These awards are another indicator that this approach works.”

Two district schools will be honored for achievement in language arts: Wilder Elementary, which also garnered an overall achievement nod, and Discovery Community School.

Futures School will be honored for their extended graduation rate. This choice school, housed within Juanita High School, often works with students who have not achieved within the larger comprehensive high schools. Futures School encourages students to set lofty goals and provides a supportive environment allowing them to reach those goals.

“I am so incredibly proud of these schools and all the hard work of students, teachers and parents,” said Dr. Chip Kimball, LWSD superintendent. “These awards confirm what I know and see every day; our district has some of the best schools in the state, helping all kids achieve and excel.”