A total of 186 schools are receiving Washington Achievement Awards for 2010, and Orcas Island High School is among them.

Award-winning schools were notified last week by State Superintendent Randy Dorn and State Board of Education Chair Jeff Vincent. The Washington Achievement Award is sponsored by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education.

“In many ways, recognizing our best schools is one of the most important things we do at the state level,” Vincent said. “Spotlighting best practices is not only a celebration of our most successful schools, but also provides an opportunity for all of us to learn what those schools are doing right and how we might incorporate those same successful strategies in other schools across the state.”

Schools are being recognized for being top performers in seven categories: overall excellence, language arts, math, science, extended graduation rate (only awarded to high and comprehensive schools), improvement, and closing achievement gaps.

Orcas High School received an overall excellence and extended graduation rate award.

The award-winning schools will be honored during a ceremony on April 27 at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, itself an award winner for “Improvement.”