Hats Off to Maple Elementary School!

This week, we tip our hats to Maple Elementary School in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood.

On Tuesday morning, the U.S. Department of Education paid a visit to the school in order to film classrooms for an upcoming special, “Education NEWS Parents Can Use.” Why the acclaim? In 2006, Maple was the only Seattle public school to be named a federal No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

Maple is perhaps one of Seattle’s most diverse elementary schools with nearly 40 percent of students arriving with limited proficiency in English and more than 17 languages spoken. And yet, the school has succeeded. Last year, 91 percent of Maple’s 4^th graders read at or above grade level and 82 percent performed at or above grade level on math tests—both scores above the overall state level.

Hats off to the staff (some of whom speak at least four languages!) and students of Maple Elementary School for their success and commitment to embracing diversity and overcoming language hurdles!

The video of Maple will appear on the Education Department's website after Jan. 15.