John Jacobs Elementary earns A+ School of Excellence Award | The Locally Times
The school is one of only 48 in Arizona to receive the state's highest recognition for the 2025-2026 school year, a first-time honor for the campus.
## A First-Time State Honor John Jacobs Elementary School has received the A+ School of Excellence Award® from the Arizona Educational Foundation for the 2025-2026 school year. John Jacobs Elementary was one of 48 schools selected from a statewide pool of applicants for the award. The A+ School of Excellence® program has been recognizing schools in the state since 1983. The WESD announcement did not specify the total number of schools that applied for the 2025-2026 cycle. As a recipient, John Jacobs Elementary will be permitted to display an A+ banner on its campus. The designation will remain with the school through the year 2030. These include the presence of inspiring leadership and strong collaboration, exceptional teachers and staff, and a rigorous, standards-aligned learning curriculum. Additional criteria cited in the district's notice are the engagement of families and community support, and the maintenance of a safe, student-centered environment. While the announcement outlines these broad principles, it does not provide the specific metrics, application data, or site-visit results the Arizona Educational Foundation used to evaluate John Jacobs Elementary against the other applicants. ## Mentorship Role and Future Responsibilities Along with the recognition, the A+ designation includes a forward-looking responsibility. The school district’s statement notes that as a 2026 A+ recipient, John Jacobs Elementary will be expected to lead and mentor other schools across Arizona. The announcement does not, however, detail the specific structure of this mentorship role. The records do not specify what resources, if any, will be provided to the school to facilitate this new responsibility, nor do they outline the expectations for how John Jacobs will engage with other schools. The district has not yet published information regarding any formal programs or plans related to this mentorship duty that extends through 2030.