Salem Woods receives Washington Achievement Award

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has chosen Salem Woods Elementary as a recipient of the 2016 Washington Achievement Award.

The accolade spotlights schools that have shown significant progress in one of seven categories. Salem Woods ranked in the top 5 percent on the state’s Achievement Index for English Language Arts Growth last year. The other areas are Overall Excellence, High Progress, Math Growth, Extended Graduation Rate, which is only awarded to high and comprehensive schools, English Language Acquisition and Closing the Achievement Gap.

“It’s an honor to be recognized,” said Salem Woods principal Janna Pope. “What exactly goes into it is really hard to tease out — this is a group that says, ‘This is great, how do we keep getting better?’ ”

Pope said she attributes the high ranking to site culture; each educator is willing to work as a team to address the individual needs of their kids. The Monroe school’s population falls just under 500 students. Staff have varying degrees of experience, but all are dedicated to meeting their pupils where they are at, she said.

“It really comes down to the people in the building that we put in front of kids, and their commitment to achievement, to continue to search for what will best reach kid’s needs,” she said.

Putting the right resources in the right places is also a collaborative effort, Pope said. Every year she identifies where added interventions are required. A team of teachers, paraeducators, specialists and other staff members are assigned to grade levels or classrooms where kids have shown the greatest needs, she said.

“It is really organizing teams to work with kids,” she said.

The achievement award incorporates three years of data gathered from state tests on progress made in different subject areas, according to OSPI. The index is used by the state to pull out information to gauge and allow the public to see where schools are succeeding.

“OSPI and the State Board of Education have spent a lot of time on the achievement index,” according to former superintendent of public instruction Randy Dorn in a 2016 news release. “We’re very proud of the schools recognized for their performance on the index. Each school shows sustained growth or excellence, or both. I congratulate each and every school for the hard work they’ve done.”

The tool measures student proficiency in five areas: math, English language arts, science, student growth and college and career readiness, according to OSPI. It is the only statewide “accountability system recognized by both the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and State Board of Education.”

This year 280 of roughly 2,200 schools statewide were chosen for the achievement award, according to OSPI. Eligible schools must have a 95 percent participation rate in state-issued tests. Winners received their awards on May 3 at Olympic Middle School in the Auburn School District, which also won in the category of Closing the Achievement Gap.

“I am proud to award nearly 300 schools with this honor,” said Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal in a news release. “These schools help Washington lead the way in innovative education and access to high-quality learning opportunities. To all of those honored, thank you for your dedication to Washington students, families, and the future.”

Salem woods staff recognize that it is critical children develop a solid foundation as a reader while in elementary school, Pope said. Reading is a gateway to becoming a better writer and high achiever in math, a subject that forces students to rely more and more on strong reading skills, she said.