• Category 3

    Selected in 2023

  • Grades: k - 4
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 12,686
    Student Enrollment: 510
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 68%
    Hispanic: 2.8%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0.8%
    Native American: 23.2%
    Other: 5%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:15
    % Reduced Lunch: 49.8%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1957
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Robbi Mondati
  • CONTACT:
    801 12th Street
    Cloquet, MN 55720
    218-879-3369
    rmondati@isd94.org
Washington Elementary School
Cloquet, MN
We work directly with students and families to promote good attendance and offer incentives when kids are getting to school on time!
1. Tell us about your school’s success.
We have had great success at Washington based on many contributing factors! We were recognized as a Distinguished School because of the particularly strong achievement of our American Indian students. We have a very strong American Indian Education program in our building where we have two licensed intervention teachers, a home-school liaison, a tutor, and very rich programming. All Washington students are able to learn from school-wide language and culture lessons throughout the year, and our American Indian students in particular also have extended opportunities like focused weekly lunch groups, smudging, book clubs for high achieving students, and an after school Makoons club they can join as well. We work directly with students and families to promote good attendance and offer incentives when kids are getting to school on time!
2. Talk about the greatest contributing factor(s) that promoted positive change in your school.
The welcoming and inclusive culture we have created for our students and families is the greatest contributing factor by my estimate. Students and their families feel honored and acknowledged for who they are and what they contribute to our school community. The ripple effect of this is that students are making progress and thriving!
Additionally, our Multi-tiered system of support which includes various layers of assessing student needs and providing support for academics, and social/emotional and behavioral interventions contributes to student success. Our school implements PBIS, we have a full-time counselor and social worker, Dean of Students, Academic Intervention team, Special Education team, and we work in partnership with outside behavioral health and county agencies to provide in-house therapy and skills services.
3. How has ESEA funding supported the school's success?
Through ESEA funding we have been fortunate to have highly skilled and highly effective teachers working with our struggling learners! Students are able to receive quality instruction within their classrooms at a Tier 1 level, in Title One and AIE intervention "club" with licensed teachers in a small group Tier 2 setting, and even 1:1 instruction with our most highly skilled intervention teacher at a Tier 3 setting. In addition to providing students with skilled teachers, we have also been able to integrate research based curriculum that is available to use at a Tier 2 and Tier 3 level as a result of ESEA funding.
4. What professional development activities were used to improve teaching and learning?
Staff at Washington are actively engaged in professional development to increase their effectiveness in the classroom. Several years ago we began using the GELN Essentials Framework as a basis for professional reflection, collaboration, and growth. That learning was discussed at all levels, and factored into the work we do in general education, special education, and in tiered intervention. Last year a group of 10 staff also began LETRS training to further align their instruction with the Science of Reading. 9 more teachers joined LETRS training this year too! On top of that we are also implementing a new reading curriculum this year. That too comes with professional development and is aligned to the practices we are learning in LETRS training!

Beyond academics specifically, our school has undergone extensive training on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Restorative Practices, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Training.
5. Talk about the cultural shift leading up to your school's success.
Cultural Learning is integrated at multiple levels. All students receive cultural lessons throughout the year. Native American students connect regularly with the American Indian Education staff to learn language and do cultural activities and after school clubs. The cultural values are integrated into the school’s behavior framework. Culturally responsive information and resources are shared with teachers around holidays and events. Teachers feel empowered to ask questions about culture and adjust or change their lessons so they are more culturally responsive. Native American students feel represented, comfortable, and included in school. They are proud of who they are and speak their Ojibwe language with pride. Non-native students are equally excited to learn the language. Native American parents have a trusting relationship with the school and have shown this is the place they want to send their children to be educated, as numbers of transfers have steadily increased.
6. How has community involvement strengthened your success?
Our school has collaborated with county agencies to receive training on becoming trauma informed, implementing restorative practices, and chronic absenteeism. Tribal partnerships have also allowed for more services to be provided within the school setting, such as therapy and skills that students originally would have had to leave the school to access. This may have been a barrier to access such services before. We also have a collaboration with the tribe to encourage teachers to partner with tribal employees to provide educational experiences. These collaborations have prepared our staff to be more familiar with student and family situations and needs and supporting students to be in school and getting quality cultural experiences at school. Also, we have strong parent groups at both Washington and through our Local Indian Education Committee. Both groups positively contribute to the direction we are heading as a building community.
Stats
  • Category 3

    Selected in 2023

  • Grades: k - 4
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 12,686
    Student Enrollment: 510
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0%
    White/Caucasian: 68%
    Hispanic: 2.8%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 0.8%
    Native American: 23.2%
    Other: 5%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:15
    % Reduced Lunch: 49.8%
    % ELL Learners: 0%
    Founded: 1957
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Robbi Mondati
  • CONTACT:
    801 12th Street
    Cloquet, MN 55720
    218-879-3369
    rmondati@isd94.org