Schools receiving the Governor’s Achievement Award for 2010 are as follows:
Elementary schools
Annoor Islamic School, Wichita
Argonia Elementary School, USD 359 Argonia
Bartlett Elementary School, USD 506 Labette County
Blue Ridge Elementary School, USD 473 Chapman
Bostic Traditional Magnet School, USD 259 Wichita
Claflin Elementary School, USD 112 Central Plains
Edgerton Elementary School, USD 231 Gardner/Edgerton
Frances Willard Elementary School, USD 470 Arkansas City
Frankfort Elementary School, USD 380 Vermillion
Gardner Elementary School, USD 231 Gardner/Edgerton
Grinnell Grade School, USD 291 Grinnell
Harmony Elementary School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Holy Family School, Dodge City Catholic Diocese
Ingalls Elementary School, USD 477 Ingalls
Jennie Barker Elementary School, USD 457 Garden City
Kathryn O’Loughlin McCarthy Elementary School, USD 489 Hays
Lakeside Intermediate School, USD 272 Waconda
Lakewood Elementary School, USD 229 Blue Valley
MacArthur Elementary School, USD 480 Liberal
Madison Elementary School, USD 231 Gardner/Edgerton
Mattie O Haskins Elementary School, USD 382 Pratt
McDermott Elementary School, USD 480 Liberal
Mission Trail Elementary School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Mont Ida Elementary School, USD 365 Garnett
Morse Elementary School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Nike Elementary School, USD 231 Gardner/Edgerton
Oatville Elementary School, USD 261 Haysville
Phillipsburg Elementary School, USD 325 Phillipsburg
Pleasant Ridge Elementary School, USD 449 Easton
Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary School, Wichita Catholic Diocese
Sheridan Elementary School, USD 475 Geary County
St. Benedict Elementary School, USD 451 Baileyville/St. Benedict
St. George Elementary School, USD 323 Rock Creek
St. John Elementary School, Salina Catholic Diocese
St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School, Wichita Catholic Diocese
Stilwell Elementary School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Sunflower Elementary School, USD 231 Gardner/Edgerton
Timber Creek Elementary School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Tipton Community School, USD 272 Waconda
Union Valley Elementary School, USD 313 Buhler
Wellington Christian Academy, Wellington
Westwood View Elementary School, USD 512 Shawnee Mission
Middle/jr high schools
Andover Central Middle School, USD 385 Andover
Blue Valley Middle, USD 229 Blue Valley
Harmony Middle School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Herington Middle School, USD 487 Herington
Lakeside Junior High School, USD 272 Waconda
Lakewood Middle School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Overland Trail Middle School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Pioneer Ridge Middle School, USD 231 Gardner/Edgerton
Pleasant Ridge Middle School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Prairie Star Middle School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Sabetha Middle School, USD 113 Prairie Hills
Southwest Jr High School, USD 497 Lawrence
High school schools
Baileyville-St. Benedict High School, USD 451 Baileyville-St. Benedict
Blue Valley High School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Blue Valley North High School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Centralia High School, USD 380 Vermillion
Chapman High School, USD 473 Chapman
Claflin Jr/Sr High School, USD 112 Central Plains
Dighton High School, USD 482 Dighton
Frankfort High School, USD 380 Vermillion
Garden Plain High School, USD 267 Renwick
Hanover High School, USD 223 Barnes
Lakemary Center Paola, Paola
Lakeside High School at Downs, USD 272 Waconda
Louisburg High School, USD 416 Louisburg
Norwich High School, USD 331 Kingman/Norwich
Oswego High School, USD 504 Oswego
St Francis High School, USD 297 St Francis
St Thomas Aquinas High School, Kansas City Catholic Diocese
Tipton High School, Salina Catholic Diocese
Victoria High School, USD 432 Victoria
Wilson Jr/Sr High School, USD 112 Central Plains
TOPEKA – Four area schools are among the 42 Kansas elementary, 12 middle/junior high schools and 20 high schools recently recognized as part of the fourth annual Governor’s Achievement Awards, honoring top performing schools in the state.
Regional honorees include: Claflin Elementary School, Claflin, now part of Unified School District 112 Central Plains after the recent consolidation with the Lorraine district; Holy Family School in Great Bend, a Catholic elementary school in the Dodge City Diocese; Claflin Junior/Senior High School; and Wilson Junior/Senior High School, Wilson, also part of USD 112.
According to the Kansas Department of Education, which sponsors the awards, to receive this honor, schools must have achieved the Standard of Excellence in both reading and mathematics for 2010. Additionally, the school must have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in both reading and mathematics and one additional measure in 2010. For elementary schools and middle/junior high schools the additional AYP measure is attendance and for high schools the measure is graduation rate.
Additionally, the school must have been among the top 5 percent of schools in both reading and mathematics on the 2010 state assessments at its respective level, i.e. elementary schools, middle/junior high schools, or high schools.
"It’s very exciting for us," said Karen Moeder, Holy Family principal. This marks the third year in a row the school has earned the award.
"We still pray a lot about it," she said of the school’s continued success. Also, "we have great families, great parents, great students and great teachers."
They found a winning combination that works. "We’re going to stick with it," she said.
"We teach the whole child," including religion, academics and the arts, Moeder said. "We have well-rounded students. We never left the basics."
What’s more, the students buy into the process and who feel a little positive peer pressure to do well. "We expect them to succeed."
Moeder said she found out the school was one of the winners just before she left for Christmas break and the staff is planning a school-wide assembly to celebrate.
"This is something our staff and students take great pride in," said Wilson HS Principal Brian Smith. He also just learned about the award.
Two years ago, Wilson Elementary School, which is in the same building as the high school, earned the honor. "We share resources from one end to the other," Smith said.
He commended the efforts of all those involved. There will be a ceremony at the halftime of an upcoming basketball game to show this appreciation.
"These schools are to be commended for having achieved this recognition," said Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Diane DeBacker. "The Governor’s Achievement Award identifies a school as not only setting high expectations, but helping students gain the skills and knowledge needed to achieve to those expectations and beyond."
