National Blue Ribbon Schools Program

The Waverly-Shell Rock Community School attendance centers are nestled within the communities of Waverly and Shell Rock in northeastern Iowa. The district strives "to create a passion for learning that will sustain students for a lifetime." Success at West Cedar Elementary is just one of the golden nuggets of success in the context of a school-wide passion for excellence supported by parents and the community.

Academic skills are at the heart of what is done at Waverly-Shell Rock, and the staff are proud of the academic achievement at West Cedar Elementary. The school strives for continuous, comprehensive improvement grounded in solid curriculum, challenging goals, and collegiality within its staff. West Cedar strives to anchor its work in rigor and relevance, relationships and reflection, and staff believe in educating the whole child. Staff believe high scores on the Iowa Assessments are reflective of the total program at West Cedar. Teachers use formative data from a variety sources to identify and meet individual student needs. The school relies on collaborative partnerships to overcome student learning barriers, and it approaches student needs from the core belief system that scores are one piece of data in a highly data-driven system, that parent concerns are paramount (parents love and know their children best), and that the school can rely on its highly professional staff to meet those needs. West Cedar wants more than high test scores--it wants students who have a passion for learning that will sustain them for a lifetime!