Cottonwood Elementary School received a Certificate of Merit at the 9th Annual Challenge Awards on November 13, 2013 at Junction City Middle School. The award is presented by the Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force.

The award is based on Kansas Assessment results from 2013 and other qualifying factors, such as ethnicity and socio-economic status. Cottonwood Elementary School is being honored as a result of its performance on the 5th grade Reading assessments.

“This award is indicative of the hard work of the students, teachers and leadership of Cottonwood Elementary School. The fact that one of the criteria of this award is to focus on the achievement of students from diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds makes it even more meaningful. The staff at Cottonwood is making a tremendous difference in the lives of their students every single day,” commented Superintendent William Hall.

The school is being honored for making a notable difference in student achievement despite facing significant challenges in its school population. The award states that Cottonwood Elementary School, “…stands as an excellent example of one that believes all children can learn, expects them to do so, and gives them an opportunity to demonstrate their substantial abilities,” wrote the chairman for the Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force.

The Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force is sponsored by the American Association of University Women, the Kansas Congress of Parents and Teachers, Kansas Association of School Boards, Kansas National Education Association, Kansas State Board of Education, United School Administrators of Kansas, Kansas State High School Activities Association, Inc., and Kansas School Public Relations Association.