Congratulations to the Wapato School Board of Directors for earning the State “Board of Distinction” recognition for the sixth year in a row from the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA).  Wapato School Board members include President, Maria Erickson, Vice President, Sarah Divina, Javier Vela, John Francisco and Lorenzo Alvarado.

The annual WSSDA Boards of Distinction program honors school boards that demonstrate effective use of the Washington School Board Standards. The standards promote research-based governance practices that lead to high levels of student and district achievement, and help close the opportunity gap.  Award applicants submitted essays and supporting evidence to demonstrate how they are putting the standards into practice.  

WSSDA Director of Leadership Development Tricia Lubach says despite historic challenges this year, school boards displayed tremendous leadership in bringing students back to in-person learning safely and creatively.  She added, the boards that are being honored developed unique approaches that reflected the needs of their students and families and relied on careful analysis of data that indicated those needs.

Being chosen as a Board of Distinction means the Board also qualifies as a candidate to be considered for the prestigious Board of the Year recognition handed out each year to just three School Boards in the state.  The Wapato Board was selected last year as Board of the Year for medium sized districts and is hoping to receive that recognition again this year. 

The Boards of Distinction will be recognized at the annual WSSDA Conference coming up later this month.  It is at the same conference that the Boards of the Year will be revealed.