ROGERS -- Students at Eastside Elementary School took a few minutes out of lunch Tuesday to cheer their place as a National Blue Ribbon School.
"We made it," one voice shouted from the front of the room as Robin Wilkerson, school principal, prepared to make the announcement.
At A Glance
National Blue Ribbon Schools
States nominate their top performing schools for the National Blue Ribbon School designation. The program, in place since 1982, has recognized fewer than 7,900 schools. Five schools were recognized in Arkansas: Eastside Elementary School, Rogers; Norfolk Elementary School, Norfolk; M.A. Hardin Elementary School, Redfield; Centerpoint Primary School, Glenwood; and Fayetteville’s St. Joseph Catholic School. Eastside is the third school in Rogers to be recognized. Bellview Elementary School was recognized in 2011 and Russell D. Jones Elementary was recognized in 2012.
Source: Staff Report
Her announcement was followed by loud applause ,and several school cheers, from the students.
"Eastside rocks the house," students chanted.
Eastside was one of 337 Blue Ribbon Schools honored Tuesday in the U.S. and Virgin Islands.
Wilkerson asked teachers to come to the stage as children applauded. Staffers joined them, and co-workers coaxed cafeteria workers out of the kitchen to join the celebration.
Teamwork is what makes the school, Wilkerson said. Literacy programs, visits to Hobbs State Park or Ozark Natural Science Center, and theater-style presentations worked into the classroom, all play a role, she told students. Teachers helping other teachers at the school is a big deal, she said.
It was a sentiment echoed by district administrators.
"I'm thrilled," said Janie Darr, superintendent
She congratulated Eastside students on their part -- finishing homework and working toward reading goals.
"You all had to work together on the goals," she said.
The school has great leadership, said Virginia Abernathy, assistant superintendent of elementary curriculum and instruction.
Great leaders and great teachers care about kids, and they do whatever it takes, she said.
Schools are nominated by state education offices for the national honor.
National Blue Ribbon high performing schools must rank in the top 15 percent in the state and all subgroups -- students learning English or facing poverty -- must be in the top 40 percent of all schools.
Eastside had the sixth highest scores in the state in fifth grade math this spring with 94 percent of students scoring as either proficient or advanced, according to analysis from the Office for Educational Policy at the University of Arkansas. The school's overall literacy score was 97 percent proficient and advanced, according to the report, which ranked it 11th in the state in literacy.
The National Blue Ribbon marks Eastside as a high performing school.
"All of you -- the 2014 National Blue Ribbon Schools -- are showing all of us the way," said Arnie Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, in remarks announcing the awards.
Students said they were happy for the award and couldn't wait to celebrate.
They sometimes win classroom prizes, like an extra recess or the chance to do a dance or cheer to celebrate a victory, said fourth graders from Angela Black's classroom.
"They give us hard problems. Sometimes you need to ask about something," said Kenny Guerra, a fourth grader.
"The teachers teach good," said Ivonne Saldierna, also a fourth grader.
Teachers are good at teaching, but sometimes teachers let him lead a classroom dance, said Marco Mendez, a fourth grade student.
Celebrations are an important part of the school culture, Wilkerson said. Students need to hear that they did well, she said.
"After we work hard, we want to be able to say 'Yes! We made it'," she said.
There will be a celebration for their award, but there will always be more learning, Wilkerson said.
"We're never in the land of done," she said.
NW News on 10/01/2014