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# Golden Apple Moments: Jessica Calabrese-Granger
- URL: https://www.cascadepbs.org/show/golden-apple-awards/episode/golden-apple-awards-jessica-calabrese-granger/
- Published: 2024-04-02T23:14:54.000Z
- Updated: 2025-08-20T16:41:08.000Z
- Description: Rookie principal Jessica Calabrese-Granger transforms a failing elementary school.
- Author: Cascade PBS Staff
- Tags: Golden Apple Moments, Season 1, Episode 102, #ZZZ_Episode_3f5f090a-d19c-4cda-9ca9-90d1ee72df97, #episode, #ZZZ_Show_bf5a9c1f-4d45-4c44-aa33-405fa1bd1c65, #v1.16

It was not the kind of assignment most brand-new principals would want. In 2011, Lakeridge Elementary in Renton was identified as chronically underperforming. When Jessica Calabrese-Granger became principal, Lakeridge was in the lowest 5 percent of public schools in the state, which meant it was among only 27 schools in Washington State that were put under the federal School Improvement Grants.