Tuesday, January 30, 2024
The National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA) — formerly the National Title I Association — has been selecting examples of superior, federally-funded schools for national recognition through the National ESEA Distinguished Schools program since 1996. We celebrate the efforts of schools across the country making significant improvements. The program has annually acknowledged the success of hundreds of schools in one of three categories:
- Category 1: Exceptional student performance and academic growth
- Category 2: Closing the achievement gap between student groups
- Category 3: Excellence in serving special populations of students (e.g. homeless, migrant, English learners, etc.)
Wautoma's Parkside school was one of 60 schools nationwide to be honored with a Category 3 award. We spoke with Parkside School Principal Doug Beattie about the honor and what sets the school apart. Answers have been lightly edited to fit in the alotted space.
Beattie: I believe what sets Parkside apart from other Wisconsin schools is the sense of community. Our staff recognizes that before a student can learn, a sense of connection and a relationship is formed to know who our students are and what they need. This is also applied to their academics as students are provided a clear path of learning with opportunities to show proficiency in multiple ways. Within this idea, a tiered approach to learning happens that sets high expectations for students with appropriate scaffolds along the way. Our staff is committed to fostering growth for all students based on the specific needs of the individual student.
ConnectEd: The Category 3 awards highlight schools that demonstrate excellence in serving special populations. In addition to the percentage of students qualifying for free and reduced lunches, what other populations does Parkside serve? How are you supporting school staff in serving these populations?
Beattie: The Wautoma Area School District and Parkside School serve a variety of student backgrounds, from our economically disadvantaged, our students with disabilities, to our Hispanic and Latino student groups; students in our school exceed expectations regardless of background. Our staff has a strong connection with our community and is involved in a variety of community events that bring the community into our school district. We offer events, such as our Hispanic Heritage Celebration held in the fall and spring to a food pantry (Hornet Market) that is held weekly for our students and our families. Our staff participates in weekly team meetings where they discuss student and school initiatives, and we have monthly professional learning communities all aimed at enhancing our current practices with our specific populations of students. We have participated in professional development opportunities for the last couple of years that include; Universal Design and Inclusive Practices, Reading Literacy across all content areas, Developmental Design, Target-Based Grading and Assessment, and Youth Mental Health First Aid Training.
ConnectEd: What specific programs, initiatives, or people at Parkside would you’d like to highlight?
Beattie: We feel that our commitment to Developmental Design has fostered our community within our school. Each morning, our students participate in activities that promote the well-being of each student and allow for a positive start to the school day. As mentioned, our staff work collaboratively with each other to support each student. The collaboration between our general education teachers with our special education staff, including paraprofessionals happens daily in our school. Our cafeteria, custodial, and transportation staff build connections with students that provide a relationship-first mindset for the betterment of each person being supported in our school district.
Our two guidance counselors provide weekly lessons on guidance and academic-career planning that provide a purpose for our students to see beyond the school walls and promote positive relationships and interactions between our school community. Our 4-8 Bilingual Teacher, Mrs. Kettlewell, has a deep connection to our students and their families while supporting our general education teachers with support and intervention classes that highlight our English learning population. Our EL program from the elementary level through middle school to high school works collaboratively with each other to continue to supporting the needs of our students. Last but not least, our students are the "why" behind our work, and with the efforts of our student body and the support from our families, we have the opportunity to tap into the potential of each student.
Congratulations to the community of Wautoma, the staff at Parkside, the families and supporters of the school, and of course to the students!