• Category 3

    Selected in 2021

  • Grades: k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 33,976
    Student Enrollment: 284
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 5.2%
    White/Caucasian: 57%
    Hispanic: 18.3%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.6%
    Asian: 7.3%
    Native American: 0.7%
    Other: 10.9%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:18
    % Reduced Lunch: 45%
    % ELL Learners: 7%
    Founded: 1901
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Jim Bruce
  • CONTACT:
    1150 NW Bryant St
    PULLMAN, WA 99163
    509-332-2617
    jbruce@psd267.org
Jefferson Elementary School
PULLMAN, WA
All children are capable of success, NO EXCEPTIONS!"
1. Tell us about your school’s success.
We are receiving 2021 National Distinguished ESEA School recognition for excellence in serving special populations of students; specifically, Multilanguage Learners.

Many of our classroom teacher have received extensive professional development in the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model. All of our Multilanguage Learners receive ELD instruction in their assigned classroom through the SIOP model.

For specifically identified Multilanguage Learners additional “pullout” ELD support is provided by our ELD teacher and paraprofessional.

Our classroom teachers strive to provide a language rich learning environment as well a socially-emotionally safe and academic engaging classroom environment for all of our students each day.
2. Talk about the greatest contributing factor(s) that promoted positive change in your school.
We are proud to be a "Kids at Hope" school. Three years ago our school adopted the cultural belief that "All children are capable of success, NO EXCEPTIONS!" We have eliminated the expression “youth at risk” as it offers no real value to help children succeed. Instead, we use the expression “kids at hope” as it focuses on strengths and opportunities and sets up each child at Jefferson Elementary School for success.

Our cultural belief is the foundation of our daily work, but as a school we understand that one of the great differences between children that succeed and those who fail is the fact that the children that succeed have meaningful relationships with caring adults. Our staff understands that the quality of the meaningful relationship between adult and child is what makes a tremendous difference for each Jefferson student.
3. How has ESEA funding supported the school's success?
ESEA funding has supported our school's success through Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) and Kids at Hope professional development that our staff have participated in over the past three years.

Additionally, Title I funding has provided our school with the opportunity to hire additional paraprofessional support to assist in the delivery of our successful "push-in" intervention model for reading and math intervention and enrichment support.
4. What professional development activities were used to improve teaching and learning?
Over the past three years our staff have participated in Kids at Hope, Restorative Practices, Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Cohort and recent ELA and Mathematics curriculum adoption professional development

Though not "formal" professional development, but rather job-embedded professional development we changed our Title I delivery model. As a Title school-wide program we have changed our reading intervention model from a “pull-out” to a “push-in” model. Students of greatest academic need receive daily targeted reading skill intervention from either their classroom or Title I teacher while paraprofessionals provide reading core or enrichment support to the other students in the classroom. Identified students that need a “double dose” of reading intervention (skill specific) are “pulled out” to receive additional support individually or in a small group (2-3 students) delivered by our Title I teachers and paraprofessionals.

5. Talk about the cultural shift leading up to your school's success.
As previously mentioned, our cultural belief and daily practice of the three universal truths (BELIEVE-CONNECT-TIME TRAVEL) of "Kids at Hope" has been the most significant cultural shift for our students, families and staff.

In addition, we recently implemented Restorative Practices. This as a result of our school staff participating in two days of professional development. A Restorative Practice that regularly occurs in our classrooms are circles. A circle is a restorative practice that can be used proactively, to develop relationships and build community, or reactively, to respond to wrongdoing, conflicts, and problems. Circles are used as a tool to teach social skills such as empathy, listening, respect, and problem solving. Additionally, we use Restorative Questions when a conflict has occurred between individual students or a small group of students. The goal is to repair any damage to the relationship of the students involved in the incident.
6. How has community involvement strengthened your success?
Pullman is the home of Washington State University (Go Cougs) which affords our schools the wonderful opportunity to meet and to learn from Multilanguage Learners from many cultures.

Our schools have partnered with the Pullman YMCA to offer before school tutoring support ("Coug" Tutors) for specifically identified students.

As a major university community, we benefit from having WSU Education practicum and student teachers in our classrooms on a daily basis. These WSU students are receiving an outstanding educational experience under the mentorship of our classroom teachers, while being an additional benefit to the students and teacher in their assigned classroom.
Stats
  • Category 3

    Selected in 2021

  • Grades: k - 5
    School Setting: rural
    Town Population: 33,976
    Student Enrollment: 284
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 5.2%
    White/Caucasian: 57%
    Hispanic: 18.3%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.6%
    Asian: 7.3%
    Native American: 0.7%
    Other: 10.9%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:18
    % Reduced Lunch: 45%
    % ELL Learners: 7%
    Founded: 1901
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Jim Bruce
  • CONTACT:
    1150 NW Bryant St
    PULLMAN, WA 99163
    509-332-2617
    jbruce@psd267.org