SAN JUAN – Doedyns Elementary students received a monetary reward totaling $2,800 for earning top scores on the writing part of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test (TAKS), the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District reported in a press release today.
Twenty-eight current 5th graders took the writing test last year when they were in 4th grade, and their teachers participated in Bill MacDonald’s “May the Fours Be with You” writing training last year. According to the campus Principal, Francisca Palacios, MacDonald taught these students and their teachers’ highly effective writing strategies to help them be successful on the test.
According to MacDonald, approximately 70 schools across the State of Texas attended his writing trainings and each school was challenged to earn the highest percentage of 4’s on the writing test in order to receive his monetary award.
Doedyns students worked hard to polish their writing skills. As a result, Doedyns Elementary was recognized as the winner earning the most 4’s among the 70 schools participating in the challenge.
“All of the students worked diligently throughout the year and their efforts truly paid off,” Eva Hernandez, 4th grade teacher said.
The students received $100 gift certificates from Wal-Mart.
