Press Release EMBARGOED UNTIL RELEASE DATE: July 29, 2009 Contact: Rena Wittwer P.O. Box 800 Vail, AZ 85641 520-303-2961 wittwerr@vail.k12.az.us Vail Excels AGAIN - Three Consecutive Years VAIL, AZ - The Vail Unified School District is excited to announce that each of its regular elementary, middle, and high schools, and its charter Vail High School has received the Excelling Label from the state for the THIRD consecutive year. VSD is the largest school district in the state to accomplish such a distinction. Its two alternative schools, Pantano High School and Pantano Middle School, also earned the Performing Label, the highest possible label for alernative schools. Here’s a “snapshot” of how Vail students compared to students throughout Arizona on the AIMS test: • Vail’s elementary and middle school math and reading scores place the schools in the top 3% in the state. • The 4th grade and 8th grade science scores place the Vail students in the top 3% of the state. • When analyzing the specifics of the students who exceeded the standard on the math portion, Vail students are represented in the top 1% of Arizona! • High school students performed well too, with math scores in the top 12% and reading scores in the top 10%. • Writing scores also improved significantly across the district from last year as well. The Vail School District can now claim a well established pattern of opening excelling schools. This year Vail’s newest site, Senita Valley Elementary, received a label for the first time, “Excelling,” a very difficult task to accomplish when first becoming established. Other Vail schools in recent years including Ocotillo Ridge Elementary School, Corona Foothils Middle School, and Sycamore Elementary School helped establish this excelling pattern. Vail School District Superintendent, Calvin Baker states, "School labels are not the final word on the quality of a school. However, having all of our regular elementary, middle, and high schools labeled as 'excelling' for the third straight year is certainly an indication that our outstanding staff members are doing something very right. I could not be more proud of them." Long time governing board member, Anne Gibson adds, “Excelling labels do not come easily. Such achievement is earned only when everyone is dedicated to do and be his or her best. The employees of the Vail School District have extreme dedication and the results show it.” ###