Chase Lake Community School, Madrona K-8 and Maplewood K-8 have all been recognized by the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education for their students’ academic accomplishments.
Schools are selected based on their statewide assessment data for the three previous years. This data is analyzed using an Achievement Index. Madrona and Maplewood both received an Overall Excellence award in the comprehensive schools category, and Chase Lake received a Closing the Achievement Gap award in the elementary schools category. Congratulations to these schools!
Congratulations are in order for these students and their parents.
For those who don’t know, Madrona and Maplewood are magnet schools. Parents anywhere in the Edmonds School District can apply to get their students into those schools. Maplewood requires regular parent involvement at the school, and Madrona encourages it.
The district and the Principals of Maplewood and Madrona tend to pat themselves on the back when they show high achievements. If you take any self-selected group of students with parents who are highly involved with their education on a daily basis, you’ll find academic excellence. The school really doesn’t make that much difference.
I mean no offense to the many fine teachers at these two schools – I’ve known quite a few of them. I just don’t think they’re the main reason kids do so well there.