Principal Cheryl Burke at Chimborazo Elementary School has rewarded her staff with a trip to the Bahamas for attaining full state accreditation and making adequate yearly progress.

The school’s Parent Teacher Association is sponsoring the trip, which is costing more than $30,000, and has sent letters to community businesses asking for support. The PTA is still accepting donations, but Burke paid the remainder of the bill.

The 57 members of the Chimborazo family who will hop on the plane — some for the first time — to Nassau include faculty members, cafeteria workers, custodial staff, AmeriCorps volunteers and the PTA board. To be eligible, the staff members must have worked at the school last year, which makes them part of the push for full accreditation.

SOL scores at the school have climbed steadily over the past several years. Eighty-eight percent of fifth graders passed the science test in 2004, compared with 35 percent in 2003.

[ fro the RTD ]