Orcas Island High School has once again been recognized by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Washington State Board of Education with the “Washington Achievement Award for Overall Excellence.” A total of 401 schools earned Washington Achievement Awards for 2014.

This award is chosen using the State Board of Education Revised Achievement Index and is based on statewide assessment data for the past three school years.

Schools qualify for the award if they are among the top 5 percent of schools, based on the Composite Achievement Index rating. The rating is based on proficiency and growth for schools.

This year students at Orcas Island High School, Middle School and Elementary School will be taking the new Smarter Balanced Assessment. This new assessment has been designed to test college and career readiness and is aligned with the Common Core Standards. It is also considered more rigorous; nevertheless, we expect that our students will continue to perform at a level that places their achievement among the highest in the state of Washington.

The award-winning schools will be honored during an award ceremony on April 28 at Spanaway Lake High School in Bethel School District, itself an award winner for “High Progress.” This is the sixth year of the Washington Achievement Awards.