• Category 1

    Selected in 2025

  • Grades: pre k - 4
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 3,253
    Student Enrollment: 638
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0.5%
    White/Caucasian: 55.6%
    Hispanic: 38.2%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.3%
    Asian: 0.6%
    Native American: 0.3%
    Other: 4.4%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:13
    % Reduced Lunch: 52.7%
    % ELL Learners: 18.2%
    Founded: 1990
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Sean McKenna
  • CONTACT:
    101 Pioneer Ave.
    Cashmere, WA 98815
    509-782-2211
    smckenna@cashmere.wednet.edu
Vale Elementary School
Cashmere, WA
1. What key actions or strategies have been most instrumental to your school’s success?
Our school’s success is rooted in the strength of the Cashmere community and the commitment of our students and staff. Families, local partners, and volunteers consistently show up to support learning and create a positive environment. Our students bring curiosity, resilience, and a desire to grow, which fuels everything we do. Most importantly, our staff is deeply dedicated to ensuring every child reaches their full potential—through strong relationships, intentional instruction, and a belief that all students can succeed. Together, this shared commitment drives our success.
2. What significant challenges did your school face during your improvement efforts, and how did you address them?
Like many schools, we face challenges such as poverty, language barriers, limited opportunities outside of school, and the lasting impacts of COVID. These hurdles affect learning in real and complex ways. However, our community and staff consistently rally around our students. When adversity arises, the Vale Elementary family unifies—providing support, removing barriers, and staying focused on what students need to succeed. This shared commitment allows us to turn challenges into opportunities for growth.
3. How did professional development contribute to your school’s improvement efforts?
Professional development has been central to our improvement efforts. Our PD is job-embedded, ongoing, and led by experts within our own building—teachers leading teachers. Through Studio Days, peer observations, and targeted training in literacy, ML supports, and SEL, staff learn from one another in authentic classroom contexts. This approach builds shared expertise, strengthens alignment, and makes new practices immediately actionable. Most importantly, our team embraces a growth mindset—seeking feedback, refining instruction, and staying focused on what students need. This continuous learning culture has directly improved student outcomes.
4. In what ways did family and/or community partnerships support your school’s success?
Family and community partnerships are foundational to our success. In Cashmere, our schools truly sit at the heart of the community. Families, local organizations, and businesses consistently step up to support our students—whether through volunteering, sponsorships, or simply showing up when we need them. Our community shares the belief that these are “all of our kids,” and that it genuinely takes a village to help them thrive. This shared commitment creates a strong network of support that lifts our students and strengthens everything we do at Vale Elementary.
5. How has ESEA funding (e.g., Title I, II, III) been strategically used to support student achievement?
Our ESEA funding is strategically targeted to ensure the greatest impact on student achievement. Title I supports direct services for students through intervention staff, high-quality instructional materials, and progress-monitoring tools. Title II helps us provide job-embedded professional development that strengthens teaching and aligns with our schoolwide goals. Title III allows us to better support our multilingual learners with resources, targeted instruction, and family engagement efforts. Together, these funds ensure that students receive the support they need to grow and succeed.
6. What advice would you give to a school just beginning its improvement journey?
There is no single, quick solution in school improvement. Success comes from a shared commitment to meeting the needs of every student and refusing to give up on any child. Build a culture where everyone—from the bus driver and crossing guard to food service, paraeducators, and certificated staff—believes in students’ potential and works toward the same vision. Focus on consistent, collaborative effort, celebrate small wins, and stay anchored in what’s best for kids. With a united team and a clear purpose, meaningful and lasting improvement will follow.
Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2025

  • Grades: pre k - 4
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 3,253
    Student Enrollment: 638
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 0.5%
    White/Caucasian: 55.6%
    Hispanic: 38.2%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.3%
    Asian: 0.6%
    Native American: 0.3%
    Other: 4.4%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:13
    % Reduced Lunch: 52.7%
    % ELL Learners: 18.2%
    Founded: 1990
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Sean McKenna
  • CONTACT:
    101 Pioneer Ave.
    Cashmere, WA 98815
    509-782-2211
    smckenna@cashmere.wednet.edu