Puyallup School Board Named 'Board of Distinction' in 2012

For the fourth consecutive year, the Puyallup School Board has been named a Board of Distinction in Washington state.

Puyallup is one of 10 school boards from districts with more than 9,000 students to receive the honor from the Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA).

A total of 23 of the state’s 295 districts, including those identified as small- and medium-sized districts, received the recognition on November 16 at the annual WSSDA conference in Spokane.

Superintendent Tim Yeomans, who attended the award ceremony with board members, said the honor is “a well-earned recognition for outstanding stewards.”

Locally, the directors will be recognized for the special honor at the November 26 Puyallup School Board meeting. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Ballou Junior High School, 9916 136th St. E. in Puyallup.

The award recognizes the work of school board directors Pat Donovan, Greg Heath, Chris Ihrig, Pat Jenkins, and Dane Looker.

The Board of Distinction program honors school boards that demonstrate effective use of the Washington School Board Standards.

The standards, developed and adopted by WSSDA in 2009, promote research-based governance practices that lead to high levels of student and district performance.

Award applicants are required to submit an essay and supportive evidence to demonstrate how they are putting the new standards into practice. This year, applicants were asked to address the following benchmarks:

• Respecting and advocating mutual understanding of the roles and responsibilities of board members and the superintendent.
• Adopting a collaboratively-developed district plan focused on learning and achievement outcomes for all students.
• Providing for learning essentials, including rigorous curriculum, technology, and high-quality facilities.
• Measuring student academic progress and needs based on valid and reliable assessments.
• Ensuring district information and decisions are communicated community-wide.

Applications are evaluated by an independent review panel, and awards are given to those who receive at least 70 points out of a possible 100.

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Editor's Note: This is a press release from the Puyallup School District.