Lincoln Tabbed As Distinguished Title I SchoolHard work has paid off for Lincoln Elementary School.
Wednesday afternoon, Indiana State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett helped recognize the Warsaw Community School Corp. elementary for achieving Title I Distinguished School status. Bennett helped present Lincoln students, staff and parents with a large banner to be hung outside the school recognizing its accomplishments.The Title I Distinguished Schools Program is a joint project of the National Association of State Title I Directors and the U.S. Department of Education. The program honors schools that have shown exceptional results either for sustained student achievement for two or more consecutive years or for closing the achievement gap, according to Brenda Martz, education consultant, Division of Compensatory Education, Title I, Indiana Department of Education.
Lincoln received the award for high academic achievement, Martz said prior to the school convocation.
To qualify for the program, Martz said, a school must have a poverty level of 40 percent or higher, be in the Public Law 221 Exemplary Status Category and make Adequate Yearly Progress for at least two years in a row. If they've met that criteria and have been nominated, the IDOE takes a look at ISTEP data.
After ISTEP information is reviewed, the school itself is reviewed and interviews with school officials are conducted by telephone. Once that filter is completed, Martz said, state officials visit the school on site and meet with the principal.
"We felt like Lincoln deserved the award," Martz said.
During the convocation, Bennett said, "We are celebrating the fact that your elementary school is special. We are celebrating that your elementary school does a lot of special things for you."
He acknowledged the teachers who help Lincoln students to succeed.
"You have great teachers who do great things with great students and get great results," Bennett said.
Instead of continuing to talk about how proud he was of Lincoln, he let three students explain why they were proud of their school. While two students said Lincoln has great teachers, another student said, "Everyone is good at math and there's lots of good people at school."
"That's a good lesson for all of us to remember," said Bennett. "Students, you are successful because you have great teachers."
To the teachers, Bennett said they are committed to differentiated learning, balanced reading and other programs to make their students successful. "You give your hearts and souls to your kids every day," he continued. He then asked the students to give their teachers a standing ovation for everything the teachers do for their students.
WCS Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz then spoke about how proud he was of everyone.
"This is a very important award and I don't want you to lose sight of that," Hintz said.
He then recognized several persons present at the convocation including school board members Ron Yeiter and Tammy Dalton, Jefferson Elementary Principal and WCS Title I Coordinator Dennis Duncan and WCS Chief Academic Officer Chris Gensinger. Hintz thanked Bennett for being at Lincoln to present the banner.
Martz then spoke to the students.
"We are here to celebrate Lincoln Elementary as a Distinguished School," Martz said. "... When our team from the Department of Education came to Lincoln, we found that you are extraordinary, you are great and we could not forget you when we left.
"Teachers, we applaud your high expectations, perseverance and 'no excuses' attitude toward teaching and expecting mastery of the Indiana state standards," she said.
"Your approach in using data to make decisions that differentiate instruction and determine how to re-teach in language arts and math provide a wide variety of opportunities to help children learn.
"A balance approach to literacy with a strong focus on fluency is developing strong confident readers at all grade levels," she continued.
"The many opportunities for children to achieve in all programs at Lincoln help meet the diverse learning needs and has contributed to a school with a very strong foundation in curriculum and instruction.
"We noted that staff development is purposeful, and a model of best practices as teachers teach teachers through coaching, weekly collaboration, cross-grade level meetings, book study groups and a drive and desire from staff to observe best practices in other schools to help better meet the needs of your own students."
She told the assembled group that Lincoln's parents are actively involved with teachers and students. Along with an active PTO and parent nights, staff members work with parents throughout the school year on how to help their child at home.
"Our team observed hard-working, focused, respectful and happy students that come to school to learn, and teachers that are constantly working to learn new skills and tweak old ones, collaborate and improve teaching techniques in order to provide the best environment for all children to be successful learners. Add to that, strong principal leadership, and we have a Title I Distinguished School - a school that is unforgettable, great and famous," Martz said.
Along with the banner, Lincoln Elementary won a $50,000 grant and an invitation to attend the National Title I Conference in Washington, D.C., in January. There, Lincoln will be honored with other Distinguished Schools from across the country. Lincoln staff also will share best practices with other Indiana schools.
"Congratulations, students, staff and parents of Lincoln Elementary School! Together, you are making a difference," Martz concluded.
Ending the convocation, Lincoln Principal Cathy Snyder told the school, "You did it, OK? You did it! Let's be proud of what you did here."
