Heights Elementary School in Clarkston was one of just 35 elementary schools in Washington that met Adequate Yearly Progress under the No Child Left Behind law this year.

According to Principal Samantha Ogden, there's still room for improvement.

"We believe 85 percent of students can and will meet the standards of competence defined in the Measurement of Student Progress," she said.

Ogden presented an improvement plan for Heights Elementary to the Clarkston School Board during its meeting Monday night.

Each school in the district, regardless of performance, is required to submit an improvement plan to the school board each year. The plan is focused on how Heights Elementary will meet the needs of students at all levels.

"We believe that all children can learn and have access to core education," she said.

A committee of Heights Elementary teachers and parents decided students would most benefit from implementation of instructional strategies for reading and math and formation of professional learning communities at the school.

Reading interventions would focus on primary grades, while math interventions would focus on intermediate grades.

"It's vital for young students to learn to read as soon as possible," Ogden said.

Teachers would also collaborate with their professional learning communities one morning per week to focus on math and reading goals.

In other business:

• Superintendent Darcy Weisner announced that Clarkston High School was named a Washington School of Distinction by the Center for Educational Effectiveness for the fourth year in a row. The high school is the only nonprivate school in the state that has received the award four times.
• The board approved a contract for use of the Asotin County Family Aquatic Center by the Clarkston High School women's swim team this winter. The contract allows the team to rent lanes at a cost of about $5 per lane-hour.

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Gaboury may be contacted at

kgaboury@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2275.