Seattle school named #1

John Stanford International School in Seattle was recognized last night as the best elementary school in the nation in a high-profile competition.

Seattle Schools Superintendent Raj Manhas and Principal Karen Kodama accepted the award and the $25,000 prize on behalf of the Wallingford school. Intel, the world's largest chip maker, and Scholastic Corp., the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books, sponsor the annual competition, which drew entries from more than 3,000 schools, officials said.

Judges presented awards to one elementary and one secondary school in 10 categories, including academic achievement, technology innovation and leadership. The John Stanford School won the category for collaboration with the community. Judges then selected the school as "best of the best" for overall excellence, officials said.

Academy of Allied Health and Science High School in Neptune, N.J., took the best-overall award for secondary schools.

"The winning schools are to be commended for their academic success and for producing students with a strong sense of public service," said Craig Barrett, Intel chairman. "Education can be transformed when government, educators, community and industry work together to achieve a common goal."

John Stanford International, which offers K-5 instruction in English, Spanish and Japanese and does exchanges with schools in Japan and Mexico, has the longest kindergarten waiting list in the district.

"This is the level of school-community partnership that is needed to create quality and excellence at every school in our system," Manhas said yesterday.

For details on the competition and other winners, go to http://www.schoolsofdistinction.com.

Sanjay Bhatt: 206-464-3103 or sbhatt@seattletimes.com