Banting Elementary in Waukesha is 1 of 2 in Wisconsin to receive the 2025 National ESEA Distinguished School award
WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Banting Elementary in Waukesha is one of just two schools in Wisconsin -- and one of 63 in the country -- to receive a nationwide honor of being named a 2025 National ESEA Distinguished School.
It's a recognition that highlights schools making significant progress by using ESEA federal funds to enhance student education.
Banting Elementary
Officials looked at schools with 35% or higher free and reduced lunch and chose Banting due to exceptional student performance and academic growth.
"They're recognized nationally in three different categories. The particular category here was for English learning and so it's remarkable to be in a bilingual school with students learning multiple languages and getting better and better in their English language skills," said Sara Knueve, the assistant. deputy state superintendent for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. "Very few schools are awarded this high level of achievement."
Principal Mary Garcia-Velez said she was emotional upon learning of the honor.
"The culture that's been created here of teachers learning from other teachers and staff learning from other staff has made a huge difference in being able to grow students and move them forward," Garcia-Velez said. "It doesn't matter whether students are receiving free or reduced lunch, it doesn't matter if they're at the top of the socioeconomic class, regardless of what their needs are, we're able to take students in, see what their needs are, and move them forward."
Garcia-Velez added that she credits the major efforts from the community as to why they were chosen as a recipient.
"It's not just the staff, it's not just the students, it's the parents, it's all of us working together to try to make sure that kids are getting what they need to make sure they move forward so just that hard work pays off," Garcia-Velez said.
The other Wisconsin school to receive the honor is the Hmong American Peace Academy in Milwaukee.
Banting Elementary