Aquila Elementary celebrates first B since 2010 after staff coaching and student data work

Sep 2, 2026

Aquila Elementary principal Beth Leary described an "all-in" staff culture, coaching and student-facing data conversations that helped the school earn its first B since 2010, including an example of a teacher with 100% bottom-quartile learning gains.

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Beth Leary, principal at Aquila Elementary, said sustained relationships with families, coaching for teachers and student-facing data conversations helped the school achieve a B for the first time since 2010. "We spent a lot of time looking at data ... and then that went to the students," Leary said, noting students celebrated when they made learning gains.

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