Principal Steve Salisbury was recently notified by the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction that Tukwila Elementary School students made tremendous gains in mathematics and reading skills over the past several years.

The school received the Superintendent's Learning Improvement Award at the 2008 "School of Distinction" award ceremony on Oct. 22 at Garfield High School in Seattle.

The award celebrates the top five percent of elementary, middle, high and alternative schools across the state that exceeded this year's state average performance on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning in reading and mathematics, as well as demonstrated outstanding improvement over time in both of those subjects.

Tukwila Elementary is among 100 statewide that received this recognition in 2008.

The entire school staff traveled on a district school bus to Garfield for the celebration.

District office staff and staff from other district locations, assisted with student supervision while the staff attended the ceremony.