MOSCA — Sangre de Cristo School District administrators received word that for the second year in a row the Colorado Department of Education recognized Sangre as a District of Distinction.

This is the highest academic achievement a school district can achieve.

“I believe it’s just affirmation that all the hard work that the teachers, the students and the parents are doing with us is paying off,” said Superintendent Brady Stagner.

“That comes from a lot of hard work,” added Principal John Stephens. “We have a common goal. That is to provide the very best education for each and every student, and we know all students are capable of learning and achieving a year’s growth in a year’s time.”

The honor recognizes that Sangre de Cristo School District met or exceeded attainment on performance indicators.

Districts Accredited with Distinction have earned 80 percent or more of possible points on the District Performance Frameworks. The District Performance Frameworks measure student performance in academic achievement, academic growth, academic growth gaps and post-secondary and workforce readiness.

Key performance indicators identified in SB 09-163 as the measures of educational success, and which Sangre de Cristo met or exceeded are: academic achievement; academic longitudinal growth; postsecondary and workforce readiness.

State identified measures and metrics for each of these performance indicators are combined to arrive at an overall evaluation of a school’s or a district’s performance. “It’s truly an outstanding honor,” Stephens said.

Caption: In two separate shots, the Sangre de Cristo Elementary School students and staff and middle school/high school students and staff celebrate the district's recognition as a District of Distinction. Courier photos by Ruth Heide