A.R. Ware Elementary School receives national Distinguished School award

The National Association of ESEA has announced that A.R. Ware Elementary School has been named a National ESEA Distinguished School for 2018.

Only two schools in the state of Virginia and up to 100 schools across the United States are recognized for this prestigious award annually. A.R. Ware Elementary will be recognized during the National ESSA conference in Kansas City, Missouri on January 31, 2019.

The National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program publicly recognizes federally funded schools for the outstanding academic achievements of their students. It highlights the efforts of schools across the country making significant improvements for their students.

A.R. Ware Elementary is being recognized in the area of Exceptional Student Performance for Two Consecutive Years. The school is fully accredited by the Virginia Department of Education and has exceeded both state and federal benchmarks in every reporting group for the past two years, including narrowing the gap in performance across the reporting groups. The school has consistently exceeded state averages in all content areas. Mathematics results at A.R. Ware Elementary School were 12 percentage points above the state average in 2018.

“We are so excited about this recognition for the school. This accomplishment comes from hard work and a continuous focus on instructional techniques that make the most impact for students,” said Sharon Barker, principal of A.R. Ware Elementary School.

Barker added that staff embraces a growth mindset at their school. Common terms at A.R. Ware are “I Can” and “Not Yet,” positive ways of thinking that keep students and teachers motivated to learn.

SCS Superintendent Garett Smith said: “Dr. Barker and her staff stay focused on the most effective instructional practices. Teachers and students know what they’re studying, why they’re studying it, and how they’ll know when they’ve learned it. Teachers provide ongoing and meaningful feedback to students about their progress. At Ware, teachers own their teaching and students own their learning. When that happens, a real synergy is produced. We are very proud of them and will continue to promote this model at all Staunton City Schools.”