Washington named 'School of Excellence'

The secret is out: Washington Elementary School is a Minnesota School of Excellence.

Of course, the students and staff already knew Washington is an excellent school ... but now that inside knowledge has been validated by the Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association (MESPA), which recognized eight elementary schools in the entire state as 2019-20 Minnesota Schools of Excellence.

Principal Robbi Mondati said the message sent by the designation is important.

"I think it says that we're doing a great job with our kids and as a school community," she said. "Our demographics are unique compared to some of the surrounding districts, but our kids do a phenomenal job and we're really proud of them. It's great for the kids and their teachers to be recognized like this."

Mondati gave the school board the short version of the program Monday, explaining that the validation progress took two years and lots of work.

"You invite your school community to look at six standards and provide feedback, and we also went to our families to get their feedback," she explained to the school board after the announcement at Monday's Cloquet school board meeting. "Based on that, we spent a lot of time making adjustments and planning futuristically and producing about a 60-page document to MESPA." She explained that the document outlined the school's strengths and articulated its plans for future adjustments.

Washington received the prestigious honor for its commitment to modern teaching and learning, according to the MESPA press release.

In particular, MESPA called out the positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) which guide staff and students toward common behavioral expectations, using rewards and activities to reinforce positive behaviors. A PBIS team meets monthly to review discipline data and staff feedback and concerns, make adjustments as necessary, and plan how best to address student needs.

Other strengths of Washington Elementary School highlighted by the SOE process include its investment in a great deal of professional development for all staff, especially with regard to being trauma-aware; its American Indian Education programming, which integrates American Indian teachings and culture throughout the school; technology integration, including a smart board and Apple TV in every general education classroom as well as 1:1 mobile devices allowing each third- and fourth grader access to electronic learning tools; and a variety of family volunteer opportunities including reading to students, chaperoning field trips, assisting in classrooms, and more.

Mondati said the staff had been working really hard "not just for the past two years, but for decades," adding that a recent count revealed that the current staff at Washington elementary school have served for a combined total of 630 years.

"Many people with many years of hard work," she said.

Strategic planning is one area of improvement for Washington Elementary School identified through the SOE process. Although the school had a plan in place, it had not been recently reviewed by staff. Now the school regularly shares the strategic plan in meetings and will continually review and monitor progress toward strategic goals that are being reviewed and revised at a district level later this fall..

Tami Staloch-Schultz, chair of the Minnesota School of Excellence committee, said schools that receive validation have had "important data-driven conversations about what a high-quality, modern learning experience should be for all students" and have plans to make that learning experience a reality for many years to come.

"Honoring the important work of dedicated staff, eager students, and supportive communities is an essential component of becoming a School of Excellence," Staloch-Schultz said.

The Minnesota School of Excellence Program was established in 1986, combining the findings of current research on effective schooling with the practical on-site experience of working principals and education staff. Since the program's inception, 210 schools have earned Minnesota School of Excellence validation. The validation remains effective for seven years, at which point schools may choose to reapply for validation.

"I want to commend everyone at Washington," superintendent Michael Cary said. "It took a lot of hard work and it's a job well done to be recognized in this way."

Mondati said there will be some fun events related to the School of Excellence designation during the school year.

Hermantown Elementary School was the only other Northland school to be named a Minnesota School of Excellence this school year.