With just the lift of a finger, Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova is able to bring the chatter of excited students to a hush in the Remington Elementary School gymnasium, even during a momentous occasion for the school.

Both the students’ enthusiasm and disciplined behavior exemplified what brought her there to begin with.

“You can just tell soon after you walk into a school like this that they’ve got everything going,” she said. “From their ritual to their routine, you know that these students are getting excellent instruction.”

Córdova was the special guest Jan. 16 to present the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Distinguished Schools of Excellence Award, a national award given annually to exceptional Title I schools.

To be designated as a Title I school, at least 35% of its student population is determined to be economically disadvantaged.

The categories are for exceptional student performance and academic growth for at least two consecutive years, closing achievement gaps for two or more years and excellence in serving special populations like homeless, migrant, and English learner students.

In Remington’s case, the school was recognized for its programming to serve its multilingual students and students from military families and consistently high performance reported to the state. With the award, they became the first school in D-49 to receive the honor.

District leadership was on hand to tout the school’s approaches to teaching and learning, focused professional development opportunities for staff, individualized programs for student success, and strong partnerships between the school, parents and the community.

“I think this just shows that this is a role model for the community,” D-49 Superintendent Peter Hilts said. “And I hope that, going forward, our other schools can look to the example Remington’s set.”

Over the years, Remington had invested resources into coaches, specialists and systems of intervention to help meet individual students’ needs and goals, such as additional personnel to address skill deficits in subjects like mathematics.

Remington Principal Cassi MacArthur said the “very structured and very analytical” programming also features a liaison for the school’s military population and a dedicated culturally and linguistically diverse education team (CLDE) for its multilingual and immigrant students.

Additionally, all new students are given tours of the school upon their arrival and paired with fellow students to help ease their transition.

“We want everyone to feel like we’re a family to ensure that everyone feels welcome in our classes,” she said.

Since 2006, Colorado, in conjunction with the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators, has selected two exemplary federally funded school programs for national recognition.

Pioneer Elementary School was among last year’s recipients for meeting or exceeding expectations for state tests in English language arts and math in 2022 and 2023.

After presenting the award, Córdova noted a conversation she had with MacArthur, who mentioned she had attended an ESEA conference and met with other school leaders across the country.

“She said, ‘I want to know what’s working well in these other schools so I can bring that back here,’ Córdova recalled.

Along with the distinct honor, the school was awarded a $10,000 check that MacArthur says will go toward sustaining its specialized staff and programming for the years ahead.