Jones School, Principal Land National Awards

Camper
Camper

— Children’s cheers echoed down the hallways at Russell D. Jones Elementary School on Tuesday as they watched a live stream of a national awards ceremony honoring the school.

A Washington ceremony honored the Jones as a National Blue Ribbon School. Jones was one of the 264 public and 50 private schools across the nation to get the award this year. In Rogers, Jones joins Bellview Elementary School as the district’s two National Blue Ribbon School recipients. Bellview was recognized last year.

At A Glance

Terrel H. Bell Awards

Recipients of this year’s awards are:

-Pam Camper, Russell D. Jones Elementary School, Rogers

-Christopher Todd Hall, Pocomoke Elementary School, Pocomoke City, Md.

-Blaine Helwig, J. Walter Graham Elementary School, Austin, Texas

-Tracy McDaniel, KIPP Reach College Preparatory School, Oklahoma City

-James Mireles, Garden City High School, Garden City, Kan.

-Dianne Reynolds, Spencer Elementary School, Mobile, Ala.

-Liana Szeto, Alice Fong Yu Alternative School, San Francisco

Source: U.S. Department Of Education

Earlier in the day, a breakfast ceremony honored Principal Pam Camper as one of seven principals who received this year’s Terrel H. Bell Awards. Winners were selected from the principals of National Blue Ribbon schools.

Although many of the students at Jones are still learning English or come from low-income families, Camper will not accept anything but the best from students, teachers and even parents, said Janie Darr, Rogers’ superintendent.

“The achievement in that school is very high,” Darr said.

Camper was the first principal at Jones when it opened in 2001, and she has also been a teacher, counselor and assistant principal in the district, Darr said. The school began with good practices, Darr said, and Camper understands what motivates students, teachers and parents and works to involve the community.

The improvement in test scores qualified the school for the Blue Ribbon award, Camper said, but the school’s many programs — a community garden, large community night, a PADRES parent group and a ride-to-read program that encourages stationary bike exercise and reading — are the extras that made them stand out.

Many of those same programs are cited in the selection panel’s recommendation of Camper to receive the Bell award. The award is for the team, Camper said.

“It may have my name on it, but it’s about everybody in this building,” she said.

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