Great Job Washington

I (Dan Tyree) had the opportunity to sub for Mrs. Riise on Wednesday, March 9, to insure that an administrator was present as the NAEP Test was given to 4th grade students. I was greeted warmly by Judy Cooper and Tim Schmidt who tackle the morning office calls and visitors. Bob Girten took just a second to show me where I could get a cup of coffee. He then continued with his job to make sure the school was clean and presentable for the students and NAEP staff.

I was so impressed with all aspects of the school. Faculty members greeted me with a smile, the bus drivers waved as they let the students off the bus, and parent volunteers and aides were excited to brag about their school. The NAEP Test went off without a hitch. Mrs. Riise had prepared the staff well; the 4th grade teachers created a conducive atmosphere for testing; and even with the open concept, you could hear a pin drop during the morning testing.

Testing officials were complimentary of the staff and the school. One official said the dirt floor in the construction area was cleaner than most schools he visits. He explained to me that the Washington staff won't see classroom results of the test; however, the student results will be part of The Nation's Report Card that will be available on-line in about three months at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.

Finally, I stopped in the gym to watch Mr. Schmidt teach physical education. The children were bowling with small sandbags and plastic pins. It was a great activity, but there was more. The students kept track of their scores and then made bar graphs with the results. You see, Tim was hitting PE standards, math standards, and science standards in one activity. He was complimenting the classroom teachers' work and the kids were having a great time.

Good job Washington! Keep up the great work! You are truly committed to leaving no child behind.