A Story of Long-term Success- Pugliese West Elementary, Steubenville, OH

Teachers no longer operate in silos, but are armed with a bigger picture to drive the school’s success overall.

EDIE BOYD, SFA Facilitator

The Challenge

Academic success for students was not always the norm at Pugliese West Elementary School, in Steubenville, Ohio. At the end of the 1990s, its state test scores were very low. Part of the problem was that teachers worked in silos and did not collaborate with one another on lesson plans or on the progress
of all students (not just the ones in their own classes). Students also struggled with non-academic problems, most living in below-poverty-level conditions.

The Result

SFA has proven to be a long-term success for Pugliese West Elementary. Although educational trends have come and gone, the school has stayed with the program and 2016-17 is its 17th year of implementation!

In the last two years, the school has been designated “high performing” by the state, as well as a “school of promise.” To to get this recognition, it had to perform well across the board, including different economic and special-needs student groups.

Lynette Gorman not only recommends the program as principal of Pugliese West Elementary, she has experienced its success as a parent. Her son, set to graduate soon from Penn State University, found that SFA’s approach of cooperative learning in groups provided an excellent foundation for scholastic achievement, leading to his success in high school and college.