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Two Kansas schools recognized as National ESEA Distinguished Schools

Two Kansas schools are being nationally recognized for exceptional student achievement in 2023.

Valley Heights Elementary School, Valley Heights Unified School District 498, and Wheatland Elementary School, Valley Center USD 262, are both National ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) Distinguished Schools, formerly known as National Title I Distinguished Schools Program.

The National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program, which is a project of the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA), has been recognizing qualifying schools for their positive educational advances since 1996. The program showcases the success of hundreds of schools in one of three categories:
 

  • Category 1: Exceptional student performance and academic growth for two or more consecutive years.
  • Category 2: Closing the achievement gap between students.
  • Category 3: Excellence in serving special populations of students.


NAESPA implemented the National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program to highlight selected schools that have successfully used their ESEA federal funds to improve education for all students. More information about the program is available on the ESEA Network website, www.ESEAnetwork.org.

Valley Heights Elementary School was recognized in category 1 – exceptional student performance and academic growth for two or more consecutive years.

The school is located in Blue Rapids. Titus Staples is the building principal, and Sean Spoonts is the superintendent of Valley Heights USD 498.

The school was selected as an ESEA Distinguished School in 2017, too. However, it was recognized in category 2.

Valley Heights Elementary also was recently recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School, one of the U.S. Department of Education’s longest-running recognition programs. The program recognizes outstanding public and nonpublic elementary, middle and high schools based on their overall high academic achievement or success in closing the achievement gap among diverse groups of students.

Wheatland Elementary School was recognized in category 2 – closing the achievement gap between student groups for two or more consecutive years.

Wheatland Elementary is located in Valley Center. Rachel McClaran is the building principal, and Greg Lehr is the superintendent of Valley Center USD 262.

“We are so proud of all the staff and students at Wheatland Elementary School,” Lehr said in a release from the school. “To be recognized and awarded for their hard work in closing the achievement gap between student groups is remarkable. Wheatland is an

example of how our district is reaching our vision of being a premier school district known for excellence in education.”

Principal McClaran added: “I am so proud of the hard work of the Wheatland teachers and staff to help our students grow both academically and socially. It is such a great honor to be recognized for the dedication and drive to make a difference in all our students’ lives and specifically for closing the achievement gap between student groups.”

All national ESEA Distinguished Schools are honored with a commemorative award package, a dedicated section on the ESEA Network website and a special presentation at the National ESEA Conference, which is scheduled for Feb. 7-10, 2024, in Portland, Oregon. The two Kansas schools will receive a stipend to attend the National ESEA Conference.

Additional Kansas schools have been honored since the program’s inception in 1996. They are:

  • New York Elementary School, Lawrence USD 497, 1996.
  • Ogden Elementary School, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383, 1996.
  • Miller Elementary School, Dodge City USD 443, 1997.
  • Guthridge Elementary School, Parsons USD 503, 1997.
  • Enterprise Elementary School, Chapman USD 473, 1998.
  • Morrison Elementary School, Great Bend USD 428, 1998.
  • Robinson Elementary School, Hiawatha USD 415, 1999.
  • Wineteer Elementary School, Derby USD 260, 1999.
  • Haverhill Elementary School, Bluestem USD 205, 2000.
  • Dexter Elementary School, Dexter USD 471, 2000.
  • St. Marys Grade School, Kaw Valley USD 321, 2001.
  • Altamont Elementary School, Labette USD 506, 2001.
  • Colwich Elementary School, Renwick USD 267, 2002.
  • Saint Marks Elementary School, Renwick USD 267, 2002.
  • Custer Hill Elementary School, Geary County USD 475, 2004.
  • Francis Willard Elementary School, Arkansas City USD 470, 2004.
  • Meadows Elementary School, Topeka USD 501, 2005.
  • Keith L. Ware Elementary School, Geary County USD 475, 2006.
  • Sunflower Intermediate School, Liberal USD 480, 2006.
  • Georgia Matthews Elementary School, Garden City USD 457, 2007.
  • Westwood Elementary School, Geary County USD 475, 2007.
  • McCarter Elementary School, Topeka USD 501, 2008.
  • Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet School, Wichita USD 259, 2008.
  • Garfield Elementary School, Parsons USD 503, 2009.
  • Holcomb Elementary School, Holcomb USD 363, 2009.
  • Pauline South Intermediate School, Auburn-Washburn USD 437, 2010.
  • Fairview Elementary School, Olathe USD 233, 2010.
  • Dodge Literacy Magnet Elementary School, Wichita USD 259, 2011.
  • Washington Elementary School, Olathe USD 233, 2011.
  • Washington Elementary School, Geary County USD 475, 2012.
  • Garfield Elementary School, Garden City USD 457, 2012.
  • Northwest Elementary School, Dodge City USD 443, 2012.
  • Nelson Elementary School, Haysville USD 261, 2012.
  • Kathryn O’Loughlin McCarthy Elementary School, Hays USD 489, 2013 and 2018.
  • Curtis Middle School, Wichita USD 259, 2013.
  • Sterling Grade School, Sterling USD 376, 2016.
  • West Elk School, West Elk USD 282, 2016.
  • Pleasant Ridge Elementary School, Easton USD 449, 2017.
  • Roesland Elementary School, Shawnee Mission USD 512, 2018.
  • Ruth Clark Elementary School, Wichita USD 259, 2019.
  • New Stanley Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500, 2019.
  • Chetopa Elementary School, Chetopa-St. Paul USD 505, 2020.
  • Sheridan Elementary School, Geary County USD 475, 2020.
  • Lincoln Memorial Elementary School, Caney Valley USD 436, 2021.
  • Bertram Caruthers Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500, 2021.
  • Westview Elementary School, Olathe USD 233, 2022.
  • Hillsboro Elementary School, Hillsboro USD 410, 2022.
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Posted: Nov 21, 2023,
Categories: KSDE,
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Author: Ann Bush
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