Desert Willow Elementary gets A+ award
by Kathleen Stinson

CCUSD – Desert Willow Elementary School earned high grades last month when the Arizona Educational Foundation chose it for educational excellence in the statewide A+ School Recognition Program.             

The program does not solely judge a school by its test scores, but looks more comprehensively at the school’s successes in a variety of areas, said Bobbie O’Boyle, executive director of the Arizona Educational Foundation.

In order to achieve A+ status, educators from around the state interview members of the school’s community and look at such aspects as whether the school sets a welcoming tone for parents, whether students like coming to school, how well students are learning, teacher quality, and parent involvement.

Black Mountain Elementary School is the only other school in the Cave Creek Unified School District that has received the award. Among the stipulations, a school must be open for five years to apply for the award.

“What we will enjoy about this is it recognizes everybody in the school community and celebrates success for everybody,” said Jana Miller, principal of Desert Willow Elementary School.

“The school has strong community support. We have outstanding parents willing to do anything to help the kids. It truly is a community school,” Miller said.

Miller said the school has several positive aspects including excellent teachers.

“The teachers work extremely well in teams. We know we have continuity in student learning,” the principal said.

Desert Willow also has the only Spanish Immersion Program of its kind in the state along with a strong fine arts program.