Stanwood High principal highlights credit recovery, inclusion and rising on‑track rates

Principal Mike Washington told the Stanwood‑Camano School District board on May 6 that Stanwood High School has been focusing on standards‑based instruction, extensive professional development and targeted interventions to keep students on track for graduation. "We're really proud that we are a demonstration site," Washington said, citing partnerships with the University of Washington and the district's co‑taught classrooms.

Washington said roughly 91% of departments have adopted modified‑assessment or retake practices to support students reaching standards, and that during the first semester about 79% of students were on track for graduation, with a particular emphasis on ninth‑grade progress as a predictor of on‑time graduation. He reported that 85% of students attended school at least 80% of the time and that 92% of students had no discipline referral during the year.

The principal described operational supports behind those results: more than 260 instructional learning walks to observe classroom practice, regular professional development for staff, a twice‑monthly advisory period called "Spartan time" for extra help, and a credit‑recovery effort that recovered more than 55 credits for seniors. "We created learning plans for these students, and we do check‑ins with the students and help them create a plan, so that they can be successful," Washington said. When asked how many students use the credit‑recovery program, he estimated "probably about 45 to 50 students."

Board members asked for clarification about the learning‑walk data collection — how often particular instructional practices were observed and how that maps to the percentages shown — and Washington explained that observers select indicators in the platform and that counts reflect how many times an item was clicked during visits. He acknowledged that observations capture moments in time and that some practices (for example, students being greeted at the door) may not always be visible depending on when the visit occurs.

Washington invited board members and interested community members to an upcoming site visit on May 22, beginning at 7:40 a.m., to see co‑taught classrooms and other instructional practices in person. The board thanked Washington and his staff for the report and recognized a nominated teacher who advanced as a finalist for a national teaching award.

The board later moved into an executive session on personnel and scheduled a public study session on artificial intelligence at 3:00 p.m.