WALLA WALLA – Walla Walla Public Schools’ officials are celebrating results of the 2019-2020 school year parent, student, staff and community perception surveys which revealed strong support for the school district. This is the third consecutive year the district has conducted comprehensive stakeholder surveys as it seeks to gain feedback and monitor Strategic Plan progress.
“I couldn't be more proud of our results, growth, and hard work that reveal remarkable feedback from students, parents, and faculty alike,” said Superintendent Smith. “Results also revealed strong support from the community as we work in partnership to provide a first-class education for our students.”
Two survey mechanisms were used again this school year. The Educational Effectiveness survey was completed by staff, students and parents. This anonymous survey tool is administered to more than 1,000 schools across the nation allowing the district to compare its feedback against nationwide averages in addition to benchmarking performance against high performing schools considered “Schools of Distinction.” More than 3000 Walla Walla Public Schools students (grades 4-12), 90% of the K-12 building-level certificated and classified staff, and nearly 900 parents completed the survey.
Community members at-large participated in a statistically reliable telephone survey. A total of 300 randomly selected citizens participated in this survey to help school officials learn the public’s perceptions of the district.
“By conducting annual perception surveys with our stakeholders we can monitor long-term trends, look for areas of celebration, develop plans to shore up potential areas for improvement, and most importantly, monitor the critical areas of our strategic plan,” said Superintendent Dr. Wade Smith. “Strategic Plan areas we are especially tuned in to include measuring school culture indicators around staff collaboration, aligned and coherent systems, social emotional supports for students and student safety/belonging.”
District officials were elated that results from students, staff and parents not only exceeded nationwide averages, but in most cases outperformed nationwide Schools of Distinction. In addition, public feedback at large continued to reinforce that an overwhelming majority of the community holds Walla Walla Schools in high regard.
Below are the survey results at a glance. Visit the WWPS website and select the Strategic Plan tab to see a comprehensive report of all results.
Educational Effectiveness Survey Results Summary
Staff Results:
- “Collaboration and Communication” and ”Effective Leadership” are both 13% above Schools of Distinction
- “Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment” is 20% above Schools of Distinction
- “Cultural Responsiveness” is nearly 30% above Schools of Distinction
- “Districtwide/District Office Support” is 23% above Schools of Distinction
Student Results:
- Student results are well above national averages and are at, or above, Schools of Distinction in almost every category
- Student feedback on “Safety and Bullying” is above Schools of Distinction and 8% higher than nationwide schools
- Student feedback on ”Diversity and Cultural Competency” is at Schools of Distinction levels
Parent Results:
- Parent results met or exceeded Schools of Distinction in every single category
- Most notably, WWPS parents relayed strong support for building leadership, noted that they felt engaged with their child's school (collaboration category) and felt informed about their child's progress and keeping up to date.
Community Telephone Survey Results Summary:
Of survey respondents with an opinion,
- 84% gave WWPS a positive performance rating (up 10% in three years)
- 89% would recommend WWPS to others
- 80% believe WWPS is on the right track
- 76% believe WWPS uses tax dollars wisely
- 81% believe WWPS is open/transparent
“Thank you again to our community, staff, parents and students for providing this feedback, a critical component necessary in helping WWPS realize its vision of Developing Washington’s Most Sought-After Graduates,” said Superintendent Smith.
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WALLA WALLA – Walla Walla Public Schools announces Jennifer Foster has been named principal of Edison Elementary School following an extensive applicant screening and interview process. The selection process included parent and staff meet and greet sessions, classroom observations, a formal interview and extensive reference checks. Foster will replace Interim Principal Joel Chavez who was appointed for the short-term following Dr. Julie Perron’s promotion to the district’s Director of Equity and Dual Programs. Edison Elementary is the district’s magnet Dual Language school serving students from throughout the Walla Walla community.
"I couldn't be more excited about joining the Edison Elementary staff and becoming part of the Walla Walla community,” said Foster. “I was impressed by the leadership team, elementary staff, students, and parent involvement throughout the interview process. The moment I walked into Edison Elementary I knew it was special. The positive interactions in the classroom, the enthusiasm for teaching and learning, and a love for students was evident everywhere. I am honored to be Edison's new principal and look forward to our new chapter as a staff and school community.”
Foster, who is bilingual, currently serves as the associate principal at Mercer Island High School, where she participates on the building and district leadership teams, instructional coaching committee, and district instructional materials selection committee. She received her administrative degree from the Danforth Leadership Program at the University of Washington. Prior to entering administration, she worked for 12 years in the Snoqualmie Valley School District where she served as a secondary instructional coach for grades 6-12 as well as teacher and department chair for the Mount Si High School World Language Department. She has also worked as an adjunct instructor at Oregon State University, instructing and supervising student teachers and teaching college-level Spanish, led nearly a dozen student travel groups to Mexico, Costa Rica and Peru, and completed the Margins Social Justice Immersion Program in Los Angeles, CA.
Foster will spend a few days this spring at Edison getting to know the students, staff and school community. She will report to her new position July 1.
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Supporting documents are available via the following link: https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicHome.aspx?ak=1001835
Supporting documents are available via the following link: https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicHome.aspx?ak=1001835
Supporting documents are available via the following link: https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicHome.aspx?ak=1001835
WALLA WALLA – Walla Walla Public Schools announces Jennifer Foster, Ann Gray and Jon Wetzler have been named finalists for the Edison Elementary School Principal position. The successful candidate is slated to replace Interim Principal Joel Chavez who was appointed for the short-term following Dr. Julie Perron’s promotion in the district. A required qualification, all three candidates are bilingual. Parents and staff are encouraged to meet candidates Thursday, Jan. 16 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. during public meet and greet sessions at the Edison Elementary School Library. Attendees are asked to complete candidate feedback cards and be present, if possible, for all three candidate sessions (translation services will be available).
Jennifer Foster currently serves as the associate principal at Mercer Island High School, where she participates on the building and district leadership teams, instructional coaching committee, and district instructional materials selection committee. She received her administrative degree from the Danforth Leadership Program at the University of Washington. Prior to entering administration, she worked for 12 years in the Snoqualmie Valley School District where she served as a secondary instructional coach for grades 6-12 as well as teacher and department chair for the Mount Si High School World Language Department. She has also worked as an adjunct instructor at Oregon State University, instructing and supervising student teachers and teaching college-level Spanish, led nearly a dozen student travel groups to Mexico, Costa Rica and Peru, and completed the Margins Social Justice Immersion Program in Los Angeles, CA. According to Foster, “One of my main motivators for becoming an elementary principal is to expand and nurture a love and enthusiasm for teaching and learning to an entire staff through a holistic, constructivist lens that supports and advocates for all students. Empowering and supporting teachers and elementary school students in the instructional core of learning in Dual Language education aligns with my core values and one that I would lead with dedication and passion.”
Ann Gray currently serves as an assistant principal and state and federal programs director for the Shelton School District, overseeing programs such as dual language support, title grants, and early learning initiatives. Prior to her role in Shelton she was an elementary principal at Muckleshoot, worked for the State of Washington DHS Program, spent 16 years in Federal Way Public Schools, including serving as the Director of Project Implementation overseeing the district’s language acquisition plan, and 10 years in Seattle Public Schools where she supported building principal leadership development. Ann is a credentialed trainer and facilitator for programs such as “Courageous Conversations about Race” and “Coaching for Success,” and holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Special Education and Spanish from University of Texas as well as a Developmental Psychology Degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara. According to Gray, “As a former building principal and assistant principal, I have always served in school communities highly populated with cultural and language diversity. In each setting I have created a sense of urgency with staff in the area of cultural awareness, sensitivity and relationship building. I have come to learn in my own cultural journey that one must have a strong sense of self awareness and relationship to the world we live in, to truly understand and support students that walk into our schools each day.”
Jon Wetzler currently serves as a bilingual training instructor and curriculum developer for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation at Ft. Benning, GA. His prior experience includes 21 years serving as a high school counselor and teacher including working as a counselor at Mountain View High School in Oregon as well as the Lead Counselor at Woodburn High School in Woodburn, OR. A citizen soldier, Mr. Wetzler served for over twenty years in the Army National Guard, recently retiring from service at the rank of Major. He holds a Masters of Social Work Degree from Portland State University and received his administrative license at the University of Oregon. According to Wetzler, “I believe I have the right balance of experience, skills and academic and professional preparation Walla Walla Public Schools might be looking for in candidates seeking to become the Principal and assume leadership and responsibility for students, faculty, staff and parents of the Edison Elementary School learning community and the Spanish language dual immersion program the school has become well known for.”
Meet and Greet Sessions (Thursday, Jan. 16 - Location: Edison Elementary School Library):
- 4 p.m. Candidate Ann Gray
- 4:30 p.m. Candidate Jennifer Foster
- 5 p.m. Candidate Jon Wetzler
The new principal will report July 1.
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