School board honored by statewide group

From staff reports

The Federal Way Public Schools school board was honored as a Board of Distinction by the Washington State School Directors’ Association.

Along with 23 other boards, the WSSDA said that this is the largest number of boards so-awarded in the eight-year history of the program.

School board members Liz Drake, Hiroshi Eto, Carol Gregory, Geoffery McAnalloy, Claire Wilson and Superintendent Dr. Tammy Campbell make up the district’s school board.

“The increase in the number of boards of distinction reflects the rise in expertise on boards across the state to improve the quality of public education for each and every child,” WSSDA President Chris Nation said in a release. “Each of these boards demonstrates the excellent work done by Washington’s 295 school boards and 1,477 school board members. This program gives us a chance to acknowledge that commitment to their students and communities.”

The annual Boards of Distinction program honors school boards that demonstrate effective use of the Washington School Board Standards. Award-winning applicants submitted essays and supporting evidence demonstrating how they put certain standards into practice. This year, applicants addressed the following standards:

• Being accountable and open to the public, and seeking divergent perspectives in its decision making.

• Adopting a collaboratively developed district plan focused on learning and achievement.

• Employing and supporting quality teachers, administrators and other staff, and providing for professional development.

• Decisions the boards made and steps they took to help close the opportunity gap.

The Federal Way Public Schools board will be honored Nov. 17 during the 2016 WSSDA Annual Conference in Spokane.