Chelan Middle School honored as 2025 Washington School on the Rise

CHELAN — Chelan Middle School has been named a 2025 Washington School on the Rise by the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP) and the Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL), recognizing its achievements in student support, collaboration, and school culture.

The award honors schools that demonstrate strong student-adult collaboration, intentional systems of support, and a positive school environment. AWSP Executive Director Scott Seaman and AWSL Director James Layman announced the recognition in a letter to Superintendent Barry Wilson and Principal Chris Sanders, calling the school “a shining example” of those values in action.

Through its Student Intervention Team (SIT) system, Chelan Middle School has focused on ensuring that no student falls behind academically, behaviorally, or emotionally. Staff collaboration time has been used to prioritize early intervention and create what the letter described as a “campus-wide net of support.”

The school also revitalized its Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program, incorporating weekly core value focus areas, monthly student recognition assemblies, and the introduction of Goat Bucks and the Goat Store. Funded by a Lake Chelan Rotary grant, the store rewards students for positive behavior and fosters school pride.

Significant gains in student literacy were also highlighted. All teachers, not just English language arts staff, participated in school-wide targeted literacy enrichment cycles. Sixth graders posted an average growth rate of 136%, which the organizations described as “extraordinary” and evidence of the school’s commitment to academic excellence.

“What truly makes Chelan Middle School a School on the Rise is your belief in collective responsibility—where every adult and every student contributes to the culture and learning climate,” the letter stated. School leaders described the current atmosphere as “the healthiest and most positive” they have ever experienced.

Seaman and Layman commended the staff’s collaboration and dedication, noting that the school is “building a community where every student is seen, supported, and thriving”.