SUCCESS STORIES ACROSS IDAHO

Schools across Idaho showed great improvement academically this year, according to the most recent results from the Five-Star Rating System.

Here are examples of success stories across the state this year:

Shoshone Middle School, Shoshone School District:
In 2010, Shoshone Middle School was identified for school improvement, but since then, the school has not only made academic progress in recent years, it has sustained it. The school has rated as a Four-Star School two years in a row. “Shoshone School District has been able to achieve a remarkable improvement in student achievement in the last three years. It started with a concrete goal of development of a clear and share focus on results and a commitment to implementation of research based best practices by everyone,” said Rob Waite, Superintendent of the Shoshone School District.

Van Buren Elementary School, Caldwell School District:
Despite challenging demographics, Van Buren Elementary School in Caldwell has made significant academic progress over the past year. Last year, Van Buren Elementary was a Two-Star School, and this year it is a Five-Star School. “Van Buren took a thorough and extensive look at our school's areas of excellence and our areas of opportunity to improve during the 2011-2012 school year. Based upon these factors, we entered into the 2012-2013 school year with an adjusted building system refined to either reinforce or reform areas identified in our effort to challenge all students in every grade level,” said Melissa Langan, Principal at Van Buren Elementary School.

Melba School District:
In 2009, schools in Melba received a School Improvement Grant to help turnaround their student achievement. Today, schools in Melba have made significant strides academically and are now showing great progress year over year. Melba High School was a Three-Star School last year and is now a Four-Star School. Melba Elementary School continues to rank among the highest-performing schools in the state as a Four-Star School. “Melba Elementary School is thrilled with the announcement that for the 2nd year in a row they have received a four-star rating from the State Department of Education,” said Principal Sherry Ann Adams. “This is a credit to the hard-working staff that can be found throughout the school.  There is a true dedication to doing what is best for all students. While achieving a four-star rating is very exciting, we will not just settle – we will continue to provide training to teachers on the best practices. We will continue to study the data and provide intervention and enrichment to help all students demonstrate academic growth.”

Check out how your local school did on the Idaho State Department of Education’s website.