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THREE POINTS - Congratulations are in order to the Altar Valley School District, becoming the first ever to climb out of the state's School Improvement status.

It took the district more than two years get out, but along the way they created a revolutionary educational model for success.

"We're going to take a moment to celebrate this," says Superintendent Nathan McCann, on the job since July 1st.

Staff Development Specialist Mary Miller says the Altar Valley School District is proud to accomplish what no other Arizona district has. "The district is the first in the state that was put into improvement to now be out of improvement."

McCann says teachers, staff, parents and community members are the reason for success. "Now you come into a classroom at Altar Valley and you're going to see a very warm and engaging atmosphere where students are doing a lot of the work."

Miller says targeting students individual learning needs combined with an intense focus to succeed was not an easy feat. "Across the district every grade level has to make A.Y.P. two years in a row."

McCann says they instilled work ethic, accountability and raised the bar well of above state standards. "Folks are not okay settling for just getting by."

"Here if the child is not up to par they work on that," says PTA President Stacey Delisle. "They work on the kids who are where they're supposed to be and they work with the kids who are a little more advanced."

"We knew they could do it," says councilor Dorothy Vialpando. "That was never a thought. It's just how do we prepare them to succeed?"

But McCann says here, there is no plaque or certificate awarded. "To offer congratulations and say congratulations Altar Valley you made it out of school improvement. Frankly they didn't expect that to happen."

School starts at Altar Valley School District August 5th.