1. The Journey: An Urban School’s Road to Distinction Washington Elementary School Title I Distinguished School Fort Wayne, Indiana

2. Washington Elementary

3. Achievement Data ISTEP+LAMathBoth 201171%67%57% 201279%81%70% 201388%87%82% Gain17%20%25%

4. Washington’s Goal

5. K.I.S.S.

6. Essential Elements

7. CULTURE Research found that both high and low performing schools focused on many of the same strategies for improvement. The culture in which this work takes place is what separates the high from the low- performing schools. ~ Cathy Lassiter

8. Trust & Empowerment Enthusiasm, Positive, FUN High Expectations – “All Means All” CULTURE

9. VISION/FOCUS SIP Alignment Buy-in Goals and Vision

10. DATA Data Meetings Public Data –Student Recognition Formal & Informal Celebrations

11. DATA

12. PROFESSIONAL LEARNING Aligned to SIP Embedded/Common Plan Teacher Ownership/Data Driven

13. Essential Elements

14. What is the most important factor in student achievement?

15. “I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my daily mood that sets the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture, or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.” ~Haim Ginnot, Teacher and Child