Washington Elementary School District (WESD) is proud to serve a diverse population in north central Phoenix and east Glendale. The largest elementary school district in Arizona, WESD is comprised of 32 schools (19 K-6 schools, two K-5 schools, one 5-8 school, six K-8 schools and four middle/junior high schools).
WESD has many achievements of which to be proud:
- All 32 schools were rated as excelling, highly performing, performing plus, or performing by the Arizona Department of Education.
- Open enrollment and full-day kindergarten opportunities are available at all schools.
- Gifted Services are offered at all schools, with approximately 1,700 students being challenged beyond the traditional classroom setting, including two self-contained programs that serve highly gifted students.
- Music, art, and physical education programs are offered in all District schools.
- Acacia Elementary is an A+ School of Excellence.
- Abraham Lincoln Traditional School is an excelling school, featuring open enrollment.
- Core Knowledge® program is offered for grades K-7 at Richard E. Miller Elementary and Royal Palm Middle Schools.
- Arizona Cardinals Preparatory Academy for grades 5-8 provides small-school experience through a community partnership with Cardinals Charities, University of Phoenix and Communities in Schools of Arizona.
- National Junior Honor Society organizations are offered at all middle/junior high schools.
- Parent teacher organizations (PTO/PTAs) are active throughout WESD schools.
- Forty National Board Certified teachers are employed in the WESD (including five who renewed their certification after 10 years), the third highest number of any district in Arizona.
- Title I supplemental services for students in need of additional academic assistance are available at most schools.
- Special Education services are provided for approximately 15 percent of the student population.
- A District-wide English Language Development Program supports the 50 different languages that are represented in our schools.
- Translation Services provides interpreters at over 7300 Parent/Teacher Conferences annually.
- WESD schools and District departments significantly reduced electrical use annually since 2008 through a comprehensive District-wide energy conservation program.
- WESD is the only Energy Star Leader school district in Arizona.
- Sixteen schools hold "Energy Star" designations for energy efficiency.
- WESD is home to three Rodel Charitable Foundation Exemplary Teachers, two Rodel Aspiring Principals and an Exemplary Principal finalist.
- After-school programs are available at all 32 schools to meet the unique needs of school communities and families.
- Two schools were awarded the first Green Schoolhouse series projects in Arizona.
- Thirty sections of Head Start are provided at 20 schools for 588 4-year-old children and their families. WESD has the largest Head Start program in the City of Phoenix.
- WESD embraces the community through active partnerships with neighborhood associations, local business, elected officials and civic organizations.
- An innovative reading program, Read 180, is used at all WESD middle schools/junior highs to assist middle-level students with improving reading skills, particularly in the content areas.
- Rosetta Stone, an English language development software program, is used District-wide to assist students with acquiring English skills.
- BEGIN, three-year teacher induction program, began 23 years ago and is the longest functioning program of its kind in Arizona.
- Math Achievement Club (Mac-Ro) from the Rodel Charitable Foundation is utilized at several schools to make the connections between math instruction at school and math homework.
- 21st Century Grants provide after-school enrichment programs at 25 schools. WESD has the largest number of these grant programs in Arizona.
- Approximately 4,500 students gain extra academic support through WESD summer school programs.
- American Dream Academy - in partnership with ASU, this nine-week program is designed to train parents to become more effective advocates for their students by promoting education.
- Breakfast is served free of charge daily to all students, with breakfast served in the classroom at 21 schools.
- Breakfast, lunch and after-school snacks are available at all schools.
- Four WESD schools participate in USDA's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program, which provides a fresh fruit or vegetable snack to students daily.
- All school buses are equipped with GPS tracking that assists with communication and keeping students safe.
The Washington Elementary School District is committed to achieving excellence for every child, every day, every opportunity. All of the WESD curricula have been carefully aligned with the State-mandated academic standards, and WESD is a leader among districts in developing and implementing comprehensive student assessments that align with the curricula.
WESD School Information
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