High Quality Instruction and Learning for Every Child, Every Day in Every Classroom
L
Lakeridge Elementary recognized by state for student academic success
akeridge Elementary School has been recognized by Washington State for dramatically increasing student success as well as improving student scores on state reading and math exams. State Schools Superintendent Randy Dorn presented the information recently during a surprise school wide assembly (pictured). Teachers and staff at Lakeridge have for years worked with students and parents, gradually and steadily, to dramatically improve student academic success in the classroom and on state tests. With help from the University of Washington’s School of Education, and additional state and federal grant funding,
Lakeridge teachers and staff completely revamped their approach to teaching, using research-based methods that focused professional learning experiences to improve teaching in ways that are productive for student learning. In 2011, Lakeridge teachers, under the leadership of new principal Jessica Calabrese, created a school improvement plan that included extending the school day, adding five days to the school year, introducing a new student behavior program, and a determined effort to improve instruction, specifically in math. Teachers also work collaboratively to make instruction consistent from classroom to classroom and grade to grade, and met
regularly with one another to talk about how they can improve. Now Lakeridge students score well above the state average in math, raking as “very good” on the State Board of Education’s achievement index, very close to the highest ranking of “exemplary.” The improvement plan, coupled with hard work and teachers’ steadfast determination that every child will succeed, has resulted in incredible student achievement, including: • nearly 80 percent of Lakeridge 3rd-graders last year passed the state reading exams, exceeding state and district reading averages; • nearly 70 percent of 4th-
graders and 80% of 5th-graders passed the state mathematics exam, also exceeding state and district averages; and • Lakeridge is recognized as being in the top 50% of all elementary schools statewide. Principal Calabrese celebrated with students and staff (pictured) saying they had all set a really hard goal, worked tirelessly as a family to meet that goal, and now have proof of what they all knew to begin with: “We can accomplish great things together!” Watch videos of Lakeridge Elementary teachers and students in action at our district YouTube Page https:// www.youtube.com/user/ RentonSchoolDistrict.