POWER Zone Elementary Campuses Score High Reliability Achievements

In front of a crowd of educators from across the country, Ridgeview Elementary School and Inspiration View Elementary School accepted recognition for their hard work on their journey to becoming high reliability schools (HRS).  

During the annual High Reliability Schools Summit in San Antonio at the end of January, Dr. Corey DeFelice, RVES principal, and Pam Holloman, IVES principal, received Level 3 and Level 1 certifications, respectively, from Marzano Resources. With this achievement, RVES becomes the first school in the POWER Zone to reach Level 3 in the HRS framework. 

“Receiving this certification validates the great work being done at Ridgeview every day,” said DeFelice. “I am so proud of the staff and students of Ridgeview Elementary. At Ridgeview our motto is ‘Ceiling Undefined,’ and we live this. We don’t believe there is some finite number, score, or goal we can achieve. We simply keep working towards the next best step for our students.“

According to Marzano Resources, the HRS program helps transform schools into organizations that take proactive steps to ensure student success. Using a research-based five-level hierarchy, educators learn to assess, monitor, and confirm the effectiveness of their schools. 

Level 3 certification means RVES has created a “Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum,” which requires schools to create a single curriculum that is taught by all teachers. To achieve Level 3 certification, RVES also had to recertify in Levels 1 and 2, meaning RVES reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a safe, supportive, and collaborative culture (Level 1) and ensuring effective teaching in every classroom (Level 2). 

“We are a school where each student is valued, cared for, and grown in every way,” DeFelice added. “We don’t just teach and hope the students get it. We put in the work necessary to know how to grow each student from where they come in.”

A Level 1 certification reflects IVES’ commitment to fostering a safe, supportive, and collaborative school culture under Holloman’s leadership that was proven through a rigorous and formal process. 

“This was truly an IVES community achievement,” Holloman said. “We are a school that consistently focuses on growth, both academically and personally, for every member of our school community. We embrace feedback and make purposeful changes that will move us forward in creating a safe and supportive culture where instruction is strong and students are truly enjoying their educational journey and where staff love to come to work.”

POWER Zone Superintendent Theresa Ritz accompanied principals, instructional coaches, and staff from RVES and IVES at the HRS Summit. The annual event welcomes educators from across the country to explore the five levels of high reliability schooling. The POWER Zone team was more than pleased to work some celebration into this learning experience. 

“The High Reliability Schools framework in the POWER Zone ensures that our schools support high levels of student growth and achievement,” Ritz explained. “Becoming certified in an HRS level is a significant accomplishment—about one-third of schools that attempt certification do not achieve it. Nationwide, there are fewer than 1,000 schools certified in any level. There is only one other school district in Colorado with an HRS Level 3 certified school. Both of our principals should be incredibly proud of their exceptional staff and students."