Oakwood Fifth-Graders' Academic Progress Earns Them Visit To State Capitol

Oakwood Elementary School has continued to make steady academic progress in recent years and was invited by Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) officials to highlight one of the school’s many strategies to improve student academic achievement — a positive culture.

Oakwood fifth-graders and their teachers and principal visited OSPI and the state Capitol on Sept. 18 and shared with more than 100 academic coaches how the “Kids at Hope” framework has changed the school culture and positively-impacted academic scores. The coaches are working with “Priority” Title I, or disadvantaged schools, that have the lowest 5 percent of academic achievement in the state. 

Kids at Hope is a belief system that states and demonstrates that all children are capable of success with no exceptions and no excuses. Oakwood has embraced and practiced the Kids at Hope belief system for six years.

“It was exciting to listen to the teachers — Shannon Scott and Kylie Danielson — describe the success they’ve had connecting with students and how ‘Kids at Hope’ has completely changed the culture at the school,” said Oakwood principal John Mitchell. “It’s beyond rewarding.”

The students recited the Kids at Hope pledge and sang two songs for the audience. A few students talked about the positive culture at Oakwood. The fifth-graders also visited the state Capitol, met with legislators and learned about Washington state history.

-Clover Park School District