4 Tucson Schools Given Prestigious Statewide Award

TUCSON, AZ — Four Tucson-area schools were given a prestigious statewide award for excellence for 2020.

The Tucson Unified School District's John B. Wright Elementary School, Vail School District’s Sycamore Elementary School and Sahuarita’s Anza Trail K-8 and Sahuarita’s Copper View Elementary schools all earned themselves an A+ rating for excellence from the Arizona Educational Foundation, the organization announced in a news release. Another 44 Arizona schools were honored for their achievements.

All of the schools applied for the A+ School of Excellence Award, which recognizes efforts in the areas of student focus and support, school culture, active teaching and learning, curriculum, leadership, community and parent involvement and assessment data. The award is valid for four years, after which the schools can re-apply.

John B. Wright Elementary and the Tucson Unified School District both celebrated the award on Facebook.

To be considered eligible, schools must be a state accredited district or charter public school that serves Pre-K through 12th grade students.

Each of the four schools will receive $500 and a banner designating them as an A+ School of Excellence winner.

Several Tucson-area schools were honored by the foundation in 2019, including Carrillo K-5 Communication and Creative Arts, Centennial Elementary School, Cienega High School in Vail and Desert Willow Elementary School, among others.

The award program began in 1983 to "identify, celebrate, and recognize educational excellence in schools throughout Arizona," according to the news release.