“Despite the economic challenges that confront the children and families in rural Snow Creek, VA, Snow Creek Elementary School is rich in other ways. Family and cultural roots are strong and deep; many of the students have parents, and even grandparents, who attended the school. This multi-generational connection is one of the key elements of Snow Creek’s success. Many parents and grandparents are closely involved in school activities and serve as a support network.

Another key element to Snow Creek’s success is the commitment to fostering collaboration between learners. Students work with their teammates in positive relationships to examine their own thinking and provide evidence in support of their conclusions. Students become stakeholders in their own educations.

Faculty and staff are driven by that same collaborative notion. It is evidenced in the daily What I Need (WIN) time. During WIN time, students are placed in small groups based on formative and summative assessments. It’s an “all hands on deck” philosophy as staff work together to provide each student the learning they need.

The greatest factor in Snow Creek’s success is relationships. Teachers build personal connections with students. Developing meaningful relationships supports students to perform better in school and life. Knowing a student’s home life and interests enable teachers to bring in real-life connections for students. A result is a group of students who do not belong to one teacher, but to the whole school.”

– United States Department of Education