Cascade School Board recognized by Washington State School Directors’ Association

LEAVENWORTH — The Cascade School District Board of Directors (CSD Board) has received one of thirty-seven 2024 Board of Distinction awards from the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA).

WSSDA’s Boards of Distinction program (the “Program”) was developed in 2009 “to help school boards govern successfully by aligning their efforts with the Washington School Board Standards (the “Standards”),” a “research-based framework for effective school board governance.” 

The Standards state that “the research is clear: school boards that adhere to the standards are more likely to see higher levels of student success over time; those who don’t are likely to experience declining student achievement.”

School boards that applied for the WSSDA honor, including the CSD Board, had to illustrate how a district strategic initiative reflects elements of the Standards and provide compelling evidence demonstrating a positive impact on closing opportunity gaps for their students.

“Several boards applied this year that haven’t done so in the past,” WSSDA’s Executive Director Tricia Lubach stated. “It’s encouraging to see more boards participating because it helps them connect research-informed best practices to work in their own districts.”

The CSD Board was one of seven applicants in the Small Schools category (the “Category”) this year. In 2022, when the CSD Board won Board of the Year, there were just two applicants in the Category. In 2023, the CSD Board was named one of seven Boards of Distinction.

The winning three boards—small, medium, and large districts—of this year’s Program will be announced at the WSSDA’s annual three-day conference, which will be held at the Davenport Grand and the Spokane Convention Center from November 21 to 24.

Caroline Menna is an intern for Ward Media and a senior at Cascade High School, where she serves as Editor-in-Chief of the school’s Publications Group.