Submitted by the San Juan Island School District

Just in time for Washington School Recognition Week (April 27-May 1) comes good news for San Juan Island School District! All three of our schools, Friday Harbor Elementary School, Friday Harbor Middle School, and Friday Harbor High School have been selected for honors through either the State Board of Education (SBE) or U.S News and World Report.

The State Board of Education recognized Friday Harbor Elementary School for last year’s academic growth for students who are English learners and recognized Friday Harbor Middle School for narrowing the student achievement gap in the 2018-2019 school year.

According to information provided by the SBE, “Schools in Washington stand out for closing gaps, showing growth, and demonstrating achievement according to new data released by the state. Washington school recognition has been re-imagined to honor schools that have received support and are thriving, and to highlight positive school systems changes happening all over the state”.

Friday Harbor High School has been named in the U.S. News and World Report as the 26th best high school in the state of Washington (out of 310 Washington schools that were ranked), and is in the top 22% of high schools in the nation.

The U.S. News Best High Schools rankings include data on more than 24,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nearly 18,000 schools were ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college. Friday Harbor High School achieved an overall score of 91.13/100.

Fred Woods, Principal of Friday Harbor High school and Middle School, said, “This recognition is a direct result of the commitment of our staff and faculty, the dedication of our students, and the value our community places on public education.”

SJISD Superintendent Kari McVeigh stated that she is proud of all the hard work by staff and students that went into receiving these honors. “Our schools have done stellar work and our community, state and nation have recognized the impact that great schools have on our student’s learning. We are all incredibly proud of their many successes.”