• Category 2

    Selected in 2018

  • Grades: k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 17,762
    Student Enrollment: 544
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 8%
    White/Caucasian: 77%
    Hispanic: 4%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 9%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:22.6
    % Reduced Lunch: 53%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1965
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Tommy Colboth
  • CONTACT:
    420 East Main Street
    Marion, IL 62959
    618-993-8534
    tcolboth@marionunit2.org
Washington Elementary School
Marion, IL
The culture of our school isn’t just something, it is everything.
Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.
At Washington Elementary School, we believe family involvement is vital in the overall success of students. We work hard to develop positive relationships with families by holding informal social events such as ice cream socials, STEM Night, Cake Bingo, Skate Night and Family Movie Night.

Our parent/teacher conference schedules consider parent availability and are ongoing throughout the year allowing teachers to keep families up-to-date on student progress. We use multiple avenues to reach families with a variety of schedules. Washington Elementary also uses social media, Classroom Dojo and the Remind app to communicate information. We do our best to ensure that our families stay connected. Our school social worker and parent liaison are helpful in making home visits and make contact with families that cannot be reached by phone.
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
It would be impossible to name one school activity that has been “most” successful in strengthening our community ties. However, the common theme to the different activities that have led us to strong community ties is “Giving”. Washington Elementary staff and students have created an atmosphere of “Giving” in our school. We work diligently with our community to provide services and physical resources to our students that our district, alone, cannot meet. This collaboration involves an incredibly supportive Unit 2 Foundation, corporate sponsorship, community after-school tutoring program, community health and mental health agencies, and local churches. We are very fortunate to have organizations that support our school, and we use these opportunities to instill the idea of “giving back” into our students.

Each staff member and student has a feeling of pride and dedication to help one another, whether in our building or in our community.
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
In the world of education, we are very cognizant that our school environment is constantly changing. Our students today are not the students we had 10 years ago or even five years ago. Our families are different; therefore, we find that our teaching practices must also change and evolve. We pride ourselves on keeping a close pulse on our “systems”. We are constantly gauging student progress and making adjustments to align the needs of our students in order to achieve and sustain success. We are continually seeking ways to push forward and persevere.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
Washington Elementary School plans to further develop family engagement initiatives with continued use of the Family Engagement Survey. This survey is an effective way for our school to hear the voice of our families. Washington Elementary School also plans to continue trauma and poverty training. By continuing this focus teachers will better understand the impact of trauma and poverty and be more effective with children.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
One factor not yet mentioned in Washington Elementary School’s success is its dedication to perseverance. Washington School calls it “GRIT.” The never give up fight that we have instilled in our students, staff and administration. We want our students to dig deeper in themselves when the going is tough. Our students will spend more time in preparation, work harder on a problem, will spend time checking their answers. We, as a school ,expect more from our students, our staff and administration everyday. If Washington School is good today, it WILL BE GREAT tomorrow, and SPECTACULAR in two days. We will accept nothing less than your best effort all of the time. We must be better teachers and administrators, if we expect our students to be better.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
Our dedication to fidelity and integrity in our continuous cycle of academic improvement and our PBIS framework has a strong influence on our student achievement and attitude, as well as health and well-being.
Explain how ESEA federal funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
ESEA funds are used to provide supplemental personnel, curriculum materials, and systems of support (e.g. Professional Development) which makes certain that every student, especially students living in poverty, are provided with equitable instruction that ensures growth.
Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.
At Washington Elementary School and Marion Unit 2 we are fortunate to receive formal professional opportunities. Those opportunities vary from curriculum training to PLC meetings giving us the opportunity to horizontally articulate with other teachers from our district as well as vertically articulate with teachers within our own building. Additionally, our District provides us with professional development opportunities that target specific needs of our student population such as poverty and trauma and allows us to personalize our trainings by supplying staff members with a subscription to Ed Leaders Network.

To maximize our budget, we also use the strengths and talents of our own district. Teachers are always willing to share their knowledge and talents with each other. Teachers at Washington Elementary School value the opinions and expertise of their colleagues. This creates an environment conducive to collaboration and problem solving and maximizes student performance.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
We recognize the correlation between academic achievement and social/emotional health and well-being. Our MTSS is organized in such a way that addresses the academic and behavioral needs of each and every student. ALL students have equal access to instructional/behavioral support systems. Washington uses data to drive instruction and place students in appropriate academic and behavioral interventions. Data is reviewed by classroom teachers and interventionists on a regular basis. In addition to a structured and successful academic framework, Washington School implements a comprehensive PBIS framework. Behavioral data is obtained through check-in/check out data, office referrals and teacher reports generated by SWIS (School-Wide-Information-System) to identify students in need of behavioral supports and interventions. The goal is to use the data to increase positive student behaviors which in turn has a positive impact on student academic progress and performance.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
The culture of our school isn’t just something, it is everything. Throughout the past four years, we have made a conscious and intentional effort to nurture a positive, supportive teaching and learning environment. The administration has an ‘out-and-about’ style. They can often be found in classrooms, in the hallways connecting with students, or interacting with our students in our STEM lab. This positive leadership style ‘trickles’ down to the teachers, staff, and students.

Additionally, our school culture is supportive to staff and feels that ALL staff members play an important role in the success of our school. The school administration recognizes the rigors of teaching and learning and the difficulty of balancing ‘real life’ and because of that, organizes staff and student wellness activities. The administration and staff at Washington School, understanding that positivity is contagious, work hard to acknowledge expected staff and student behavior.




Stats
  • Category 2

    Selected in 2018

  • Grades: k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 17,762
    Student Enrollment: 544
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 8%
    White/Caucasian: 77%
    Hispanic: 4%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 0%
    Other: 9%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:22.6
    % Reduced Lunch: 53%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1965
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Tommy Colboth
  • CONTACT:
    420 East Main Street
    Marion, IL 62959
    618-993-8534
    tcolboth@marionunit2.org