Parkwood named as a top-performing school by state

Parkwood Elementary, 1815 N 155th St
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

As a part of Washington’s Elementary and Secondary Act waiver granted by the Department of Education, the state has designated 58 top-performing and most improving Title I schools as “Reward Schools.,” including Parkwood Elementary in Shoreline.

Reward Schools are classified either as “highest performing” or “high-progress.”

Parkwood was rated as highest-performing as a Title I school that has met Adequate Yearly Progress in both Reading and Math for its “all students” group and all subgroups for three years.

The mission of Title I, a federally funded program, is to assist children from low-income areas with their basic skills. Twenty-five different languages are spoken in Parkwood students' homes, 50 percent of its students qualify for free/reduced meals, and 19 percent of the students are enrolled in its ELL program.

“Schools identified as Reward Schools have been doing the work that it takes to make a difference for students. School staff, students, parents and communities should be proud to join this distinguished group,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn said.

Laura Ploudre

Parkwood has received Washington Achievement Awards for Overall Excellence and Closing Achievement Gaps for the past two years.

The school received the State Title I Academic Achievement Award in 2011 and the State Title I Improvement Award in 2007, 2010 and 2011.

Doug Poage is the new Parkwood principal, succeeding Laura Ploudre, who is now assistant principal at Einstein Middle School.