Woodmen-Roberts Elementary Earned Teaching Recognition
The Colorado Springs school was honored for its implementation of collaborative Professional Learning Communities.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Primary Education
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In 2026, Woodmen-Roberts Elementary received a formal recognition from Solution Tree for its advancements in teacher collaboration and professional development. This distinction makes it the second school in El Paso County to achieve this status.
Why it matters
The school utilized a dedicated Professional Learning Communities framework to foster teamwork, resulting in a measurable five-year improvement in student testing across core subjects. This approach prioritizes staff alignment to address individual student needs more effectively.
The school provides 90 minutes of collaborative time each Friday and schedules 12 two-hour delayed start days annually to facilitate staff strategy meetings. These efforts support the professional philosophy adopted by Academy School District 20 six years ago.
The players
Woodmen-Roberts Elementary
This is a primary school located within Academy School District 20 that recently earned an award for its internal teacher collaboration.
Academy School District 20
This educational jurisdiction in Colorado Springs oversees the operations and curriculum philosophy of the recognized elementary school.
Solution Tree
This is the organization that evaluates and provides recognition to schools implementing professional development and collaborative learning models.
The details
Teachers at the school use their allotted collaborative time to vertically align lesson plans across grade levels. By working as a unified team during these sessions, the staff focuses on monitoring student growth and identifying specific learning needs.
Timeline
2018: The first El Paso County school received this professional recognition.
Past 6 years: Academy School District 20 implemented its current educational philosophy.
Last 5 years: Student achievement and growth scores have shown steady improvement.
2026: Woodmen-Roberts Elementary was formally honored by Solution Tree.
Roadmap
The school shifted its teaching culture to align with the Professional Learning Communities framework, which has become a standard for collaborative education in many public districts. This development follows a broader trend where schools utilize dedicated staff planning time to boost academic results.
Parents with students at the school should be aware of the 12 two-hour delayed start days throughout the academic year that facilitate these staff meetings. These scheduling adjustments are part of the school's commitment to maintaining the collaborative teaching practices that led to this award.
The takeaway
The success of the school highlights the value of carving out consistent time for educators to align their strategies. Implementing structured professional collaboration can serve as an effective model for other local institutions looking to improve student test outcomes.
Further reading
For more information on local academic standards, visit the Primary Education page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KOAA.
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