Tavelli Elementary recognized for fostering high student achievement
The Colorado Department of Education commissioned a special study during the 2014-15 school year to find out the secret to Tavelli Elementary School's success.
As one of just five schools in the state recognized for fostering exceptional academic achievement among English language learners, minority students, students with disabilities and students experiencing poverty, the study analyzed their success and provided a major $20,000 grant to provide infrastructure for continued student support.
Researchers visited the school to analyze the improvement methods that principal Christine Hendricks put in place over the last seven years since she arrived, which have led to significant, steady increases in student proficiency each year. "It's been a great experience to have another set of eyes from an outside entity looking at what we're doing and giving us feedback," Hendricks said. "They validated what we thought we were doing."
The report noted the school's exemplary practices like incorporating data into decisions, including all students, creating strong family partnerships and distributing leadership create a climate that fosters success.
The strategies found by the CDE High Achieving Schools Study Grant to be working at Tavelli will be suggested as tactics to improve schools in Colorado struggling with low performance.