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Lessons In Mentoring: Chautauqua Lake Elementary School featured as positive outlier in NYKids case study

MAYVILLE -- NYKids, a school improvement hub based in the University of Albany's School of Education, has released a new case study examining Chautauqua Lake Elementary School.

The study identifies Chautauqua Lake Elementary as a positive outlier school, exploring how the school has achieved strong student outcomes through a deeply connected school culture, high expectations for staff and students, and meaningful opportunities for youth leadership and community engagement.

The University of Albany only selects a handful of New York schools each year that they considered positive outliers. The case study is part of NYKids' ongoing research examining positive outlier schools across New York State and identifying promising practices that support children’s academic, social-emotional, and civic development.

Kara Smith, Chautauqua Lake Elementary School counselor, said such practices are shown through the tools the school provides to students.

"By prioritizing universal social-emotional learning and our PBIS house system, we give every student the tools to thrive before challenges arise," Smith said. "Older students naturally mentor younger ones, creating a culture where respect, responsibility, and belonging are lived out daily."

The study identifies three key strengths that characterize Chautauqua Lake Elementary School: keeping the joy in coming to school through human connection, holding high expectations for staff excellence while supporting improvement systemically, and centering youth leadership for community action and service.

"This case study highlights how a school can foster joy, belonging, academic success, and civic responsibility by centering human connection, professional collaboration, and student leadership," the NYKids research team noted. "The school's house system, commitment to continuous improvement, and extensive community partnerships demonstrate how a welcoming and collaborative school culture, deliberate and well-executed systems of student and staff support, and academic learning applied to real-world problems can reinforce one another in powerful ways."

The study notes that as a positive outlier school, Chautauqua Lake Elementary outperforms expectations when student achievement and outcomes are considered alongside demographic factors. The school's success is rooted in a coherent approach that combines relationship-centered practices, robust social-emotional supports, and strong partnerships with community organizations.

"This study gives all of us at Chautauqua Lake a great deal to be proud of," said Josh Liddell, Chautauqua Lake superintendent. "It is the result of teachers sharing ideas and believing in our instructional programs, staff who go above and beyond to support our students, families staying connected and showing their continued support for our district, and community partners who believe in our school. Most importantly, it comes from a shared commitment to always putting our students first and doing everything we can to help them learn and always making sure they feel cared for."

Liddell added that it was "exciting to see the researchers recognize the many positive programs, practices, and opportunities happening throughout our elementary building."

Elementary Principal, Megan Lundgren, added to that, saying that this recognition shows the hard work teachers, students and staff put into the school on a daily basis.

"Being recognized by NYKids is a validation of what our educators, students, and community build together every day," Lundgren said. "By focusing on joy and authentic connection, we give our kids the space and confidence to be leaders. When we hold high expectations and surround our staff and students with strong support systems, incredible things happen."

The full case study, "Chautauqua Lake Elementary School Case Study," is available at https://ny-kids.org/research/chautauqua-lake-case-study/.