Kelso Superintendent Mary Beth Tack has been honored with the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) Learning from Leaders Award.

She received the prestigious award during the WASA Honorary Awards Luncheon held in Spokane earlier this week. The Learning from Leaders Award is given to a WASA member for leading an exemplary program that others can learn from one that has, among other things, significantly improved student learning and engagement.

Superintendent Tack, along with 18 other staff members and the Freshman Student Success Team, has implemented early interventions, data-driven strategies, and built whole-student support systems that impact over 350 ninth graders annually. Between 2022 and the winter trimester of this past school year, Kelso’s freshman on-track rates to graduate have increased from 66% to 91.1%.

Tack was recently recognized for this same program in May, receiving the regional WASA Student Achievement Leadership Award at ESD 112. As part of the Learning from Leaders Award, she will also receive a $5,000 grant to further enhance this innovative program.