This spring Imagine Learning named Wilmeth Elementary a 2021–2022 Imagine Nation School of Excellence. (L-R) Zach Henningsen, Imagine Learning Account Executive; Garry Gorman, McKinney ISD Senior Director of Curriculum and Instruction; Ashley Cruz, MISD Coordinator of Elementary Math; Kristin Ellis, Principal of Wilmeth Elementary; Cari Owens, Assistant Principal of Wilmeth Elementary

McKinney, Texas – Wilmeth Elementary and Caldwell Elementary earned national awards from Imagine Learning this spring for their innovation, dedication and exemplary use of Imagine’s digital learning resources to foster academic growth in the areas of K-2 Math and Spanish, respectively.

Imagine Learning provides digital curriculum resources to some 10 million students in more than half of the nation’s school districts. Each year, they present Imagine Nation School of Excellence Awards to schools that demonstrate outstanding commitment and effective implementation of an Imagine Learning program throughout the year. Imagine Learning has found through rigorous research that meeting program usage and implementation goals is directly associated with increased student success and academic growth.

Of the more than 21,000 schools throughout the U.S. eligible for Imagine Learning’s 2021–2022 School of Excellence Awards, only 280 earned recognition, and Wilmeth was one of only 20 schools to receive the award in the area of K–2 Math. Caldwell, home to McKinney ISD’s Two-Way Dual-Language program, was one of only 26 schools that earned recognition for their implementation of Imagine Español.

“We are so proud to be recognized as a 2021–2022 School of Excellence as this is the highest distinction awarded by Imagine Learning,” said Wilmeth Principal Kristin Ellis. “Our students and teachers have consistently used this learning tool to deepen and enrich math skills. Our Longhorns always strive for excellence, and this is another example of their perseverance.”

This spring Imagine Learning named Caldwell Elementary a 2021–2022 Imagine Nation School of Excellence. (L-R) Nicole Alvarez, McKinney ISD Coordinator of Elementary English Learner Support; Zoraya Palmer, Assistant Principal of Caldwell Elementary; Karla Massey, Principal of Caldwell Elementary; Carmen De Los Santos, English Learner Support Curriculum Coordinator; Zach Henningsen, Imagine Learning Account Executive

MISD Elementary Math Curriculum Coordinator Ashley Cruz said that the district’s elementary campuses use the online resources to target individualized math instruction for students. “This year our district aligned Imagine Learning Math with MAP [benchmark] testing, so every time a student took a MAP test, the Imagine Learning resource automatically assigned them a target pathway, based on their MAP score,” said Cruz. “Because of that, every student’s instruction was individualized, which was one of our priorities. That approach eliminated three benchmark assessments that students used to have to take within Imagine Math. Utilizing the assessments that students already take and eliminating benchmark assessments was a win-win for kids and teachers.”

Karla Massey, principal of Caldwell Elementary, was pleased that her campus also received recognition. “I’m honored to receive this School of Excellence Award for the Imagine Learning Español program. Imagine Learning Español has provided our students with the Spanish literacy development support that they need to achieve success.”

MISD’s English Learner Support (ELS) Department introduced Imagine Learning Español at Caldwell Elementary during the 2021-2022 school year as a pilot for the district’s Two-Way Dual Language program. The Two-Way Dual Language program for grades K–5 is a model that combines students from two language groups while providing instruction in both languages.

The Imagine Learning instructional software helps develop Spanish language and literacy skills for both native and non-native Spanish speakers and addresses specific features of the Spanish language, such as letter-sound instruction, syllable awareness and transparent orthography.

“It allows us to monitor students’ Spanish language development, identify areas of need and provide support,” said MISD ELS Curriculum Coordinator Carmen De Los Santos. “We are fortunate to have Imagine Learning Español to support our biliteracy goal.”

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