Six North Olympic Peninsula schools will receive Washington Achievement Awards for 2012 — putting them among the top schools in the state.
Four schools in Clallam County and two in Jefferson will be recognized April 30, when 381 schools statewide receive awards at a ceremony at Kentwood High School in Covington.
The Peninsula honorees are Jefferson Elementary and Stevens Middle in Port Angeles, Grant Street Elementary School in Port Townsend, Quilcene School, and Neah Bay Elementary and Neah Bay High School.
There are seven award categories: overall excellence, language arts, math, science, extended graduation rate, closing achievement gaps and high progress.
Extended graduation rate is awarded only to high school and comprehensive schools, and high progress is awarded only to Title I schools with a percentage of low-income children.
Neah Bay Elementary will receive overall excellence and high progress awards.
“This is a combined effort of students, staff, parents and community support,” said Cape Flattery School District Superintendent Kandy Ritter. Both schools are in the Cape Flattery district.
Ritter said the elementary school has been working on a standards-based approach for six years.
The recent dramatic improvement is the culmination of those efforts to redesign education in Neah Bay, she added.
Neah Bay also received a State Title I, Part A, Academic Achievement Award in math earlier this year, which came with a $5,000 prize.
Neah Bay High School will receive an award for its “extended graduation rate,” which recognizes schools that retain seniors who do not graduate and come back to school for a fifth year to receive diplomas.
That success is based on the small school and class sizes, and the dedication of time from staff, parents and students, Ritter said.
“We have the luxury to dedicate the time to make sure each student is successful to the greatest extent possible,” she said.
In the Port Angeles School District, Stevens Middle School and Jefferson Elementary School will receive awards for science education.
Stevens Principal Chuck Lisk credited the school’s block schedule, which allows longer class periods for core subjects and coordinated homework assignments among teachers, as well as the use of data to determine which programs work and which are lacking.
Lisk noted at a recent Port Angeles School Board meeting that in addition to the science award, one classroom of seventh-grade students are currently taking a high school-level algebra course, and the school has hopes that more seventh-grade students will be ready for algebra in coming years.
Port Angeles’ Jefferson Elementary will be recognized for science at the elementary-school level, its first state achievement award.
Joyce Mininger, Jefferson principal, credited the leadership of former Principal Michelle Olsen for the award.
Olsen was the principal during the 2011-12 school year and is currently principal at Roosevelt Elementary School.
“We are very proud of both Stevens and Jefferson schools for receiving this award,” Port Angeles Superintendent Jane Pryne said.
“Teachers, support staff and students have worked very hard and are very deserving of this recognition.”
Port Townsend’s Grant Street Elementary will receive an award for science education — its second consecutive year to receive a state award.
In 2011, it was one of eight elementary schools statewide to receive a Washington Improvement Award over a two-year period.
The school has about 300 students in kindergarten through third grades.
Quilcene High School will receive an award for “extended graduation rate” for fifth-year seniors for the third consecutive year.
More information about the Washington Achievement Awards and a list of 2012 Washington Achievement Award recipients can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/topschoolslist.
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
