November 18, 2008
Five Kansas Schools Nominated for NCLB-Blue Ribbon Schools Awards
TOPEKA—Commissioner Alexa Posny today announced that she will send five nominations to U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings for the 2008-2009 No Child Left Behind—Blue Ribbon Schools Awards Program. These schools will be invited to apply for this prestigious award. The final selection of the 2009 NCLB-Blue Ribbon Schools will be made in September 2009.
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors elementary and secondary schools that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap, recognizing those schools that have a least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds and have dramatically improved student performance to high levels in reading and mathematics. The program also recognizes schools whose students achieve in the top 10 percent in the state on reading and mathematics assessments regardless of demographics.
“I am proud of the progress being made in Kansas schools. I believe the five schools nominated are stunning examples of the achievement that is possible when committed and caring educators focus their energies on ensuring all students meet or exceed high academic standards,” said Dr. Posny.
A committee consisting of school administrators, staff members from previously honored NCLB-Blue Ribbon schools, representatives from the National Education Association-Kansas, the Kansas Association of School Boards, and the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals reviewed the data on schools deemed to be dramatically improving and those achieving at high levels. The result of the process was the selection of five schools in two categories.
Group A – Schools in the top 10 percent of the state on the reading and mathematics assessments, serving at least 40 percent disadvantaged students.
Phillipsburg Elementary School
300 Nebraska Avenue
Phillipsburg, Kansas 67661-2326
Principal: Mr. Mike Gower
USD 325 Phillipsburg
Superintendent: Mr. Kent Otte
Robinson Elementary School
1301 Helen
Augusta, Kansas 67010-1698
Principal: Mr. Greg Taylor
USD 402 Augusta
Superintendent: Mr. Jim Lentz
Broken Arrow Elementary School
2704 Louisiana St.
Lawrence, Kansas 66046-4698
Principal: Mr. Brian McCaffrey
USD 497 Lawrence
Superintendent: Mr. Randy Weseman
Oakley Elementary School
115 W. 6th St.
Oakley, Kansas 67448-1699
Principal: Mr. Robert Sattler
USD 274 Oakley
Superintendent: Mr. Bill Steiner
Group C – Schools in the top 10% of the state on the reading and mathematics assessments, regardless of demographics
Rock Creek Jr./Sr. High School
9355 Flush Road
St. George, Kansas 66535-9423
Principal: Mr. Dennis Post
USD 323 Rock Creek
Superintendent: Dr. Darrel Stufflebeam
For more information on the NCLB-Blue Ribbon Schools Program, contact Karla S. Denny, director of communications & recognition programs at the Kansas State Department of Education.
# # #