Read more: Local, Education
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Five South Carolina public schools are among the 320 schools to be honored as 2008 No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon winners at ceremonies October 20-21 in Washington, D.C.
The national No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Program, run by the U.S. Department of Education, recognizes public and private K-12 schools that are academically superior or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement.
The Palmetto State winners are Carver Elementary in Florence (Florence District One), Crestview Elementary (Greenville County), East End Elementary in Easley (Pickens County), Lake Carolina Elementary in Columbia (Richland District Two) and Bethune-Bowman Middle/High School in Rowesville (Orangeburg Consolidated District Five).
The U.S. Department of Education says that schools chosen as National Blue Ribbon recipients are models of excellence that other schools can emulate.
The program was modified in 2001 so that the selection criteria would be consistent with the goals of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
In the new system, the USDE determines how many nominees each state can submit. The federal agency allows South Carolina to nominate five schools, and those nominees must meet one of two criteria:
- Schools that have at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds and that dramatically improve student performance to high levels on state tests.
- Schools that achieve in the top 10 percent of those in the state, regardless of their demographics.
Carver Elementary, East End Elementary, Bethune-Bowman and Crestview Elementary were identified under the first criterion. Each school has more than 40 percent of its students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and those students demonstrated high levels of achievement.
Lake Carolina Elementary was nominated based on the second criterion.
The school performed among the top 10 percent, and differences in student achievement between demographic subgroups also were reduced.
All five nominated South Carolina schools not only met the basic criteria, but also scored higher against those criteria than other South Carolina schools. All nominees had to have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under NCLB for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 school years, and also had to make AYP for the 2007-08 school year to be eligible for recognition.
Two people from each school – the principal and a teacher – are invited to the awards ceremonies, where the schools receive a plaque and a flag signifying their NCLB-Blue Ribbon School status.
● Lake Carolina Elementary
Located in Northeast Columbia, Lake Carolina Elementary was opened in 2002 with approximately 350 students. Currently, the school has an enrollment of 1,048 from diverse cultures and families speaking 17 different languages other than English. The school’s success reflects its steadfast commitment to excellence in the face of challenges posed by growth and change. The school has been rated as Excellent in absolute student achievement and Excellent in improvement consistently since 2002. Lake Carolina has been recognized as a Red Carpet School and has won Palmetto Gold awards for high achievement for four consecutive years. High teacher quality and efficacy are at the core of the school’s push for academic excellence. Lake Carolina has an increasing number of National Board Certified teachers – currently a total of 19 – and five are now seeking that certification. Students are encouraged to develop their own particular interests and abilities through differentiated instruction, plus abundant in-school and extra-curricular personal and community enrichment opportunities. Parental and community involvement is strengthened by an effective communication network. Orientations are held for all new parents, who receive a calendar/handbook outlining the year’s events and expectations.
Teachers make frequent and timely contact with parents through e-mail groups, web pages and weekly class newsletters that highlight standards being taught, student successes and upcoming assignments and expectations. Teachers also use communication logs to record their conferences and contacts with parents.
● Bethune-Bowman Middle/High School
With a more than 93 percent minority student body – and with 93 percent of students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals – this is the only middle and high school in the Bowman and Rowesville communities, serving 411 young people in grades 7-12. The school has experienced dramatic improvement, moving its absolute performance rating from Unsatisfactory in 2003 to Excellent in 2007. The school received Palmetto Gold awards for the past three years and was the only high school in the state to be featured on SC ETV in 2008 for excellent student academic achievement and steady improvement.
Strong leadership and commitment to academic success unites Bethune-Bowman’s faculty, staff, parents and community, fostering a climate of high academic expectations. Major academic programs and initiatives – such as Writing Across the Curriculum, department parent nights, SAT Preparation, PLATO, Skills Tutor, Accelerated Reader and Accelerated Math, year-long remediation and enrichment classes – have contributed to the school’s progress. The result is significant gains in PACT and HSAP test scores, plus an increase in graduation rates.
