After months of waiting on pins and needles, it’s finally official ? Leonard and Lakeville elementaries were named Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary Schools in an announcement issued by the state Board of Education last week.
‘To me, this shows that we have a phenomenal community which supports our kids and that we can compete with anyone in the state of Michigan,? said Leonard Principal Joyce Brasington. ‘It sort of raises the bar for us.?
‘When I announced it the other day on the PA (system), the kids cheered in the hallways,? said Lakeville Principal Kristy Gibson-Marshall. ‘For the teachers, it just validates them for being as wonderful as they are . . . It’s really nice to see them get what they’ve been working so hard for.?
Lakeville and Leonard were among 22 elementary schools across the state awarded the prestigious Blue Ribbon.
Established in 1982, the Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Program recognizes schools that demonstrate a strong commitment to education excellence and significant academic improvement over five years.
The program identifies and recognizes outstanding schools, gives them criteria to assess themselves and plan improvements, and encourages them to share their ‘best practices for educational success? with other schools.
‘I think it gives our students and our community a source of pride,? Brasington said. ‘I think anyone who drives by our school, who is looking to make a change in schools, will know because we have the Blue Ribbon that this is a place that offers a great education for their child.?
‘It’s not at all about Joyce or I as much as it is about those amazing frontline people who come in here every day and just do everything they can to make sure that our kids learn,? Gibson-Marhsall said. ‘I just want to make sure that our staff and our students and our parents are recognized for their hard work and dedication to our school.?
In order to apply for a Blue Ribbon, schools must complete a comprehensive report that serves as a basis for an extensive assessment of their building and programs. It takes an average of 700 hours to complete the application process.
The state Board of Education stipulates Blue Ribbon winners must have made Adequate Yearly Progress as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act; have a Michigan YES! School Report Card grade of A or B; and not have a Native American-based school mascot, nickname or logo.
Lakeville Elementary’s application actually scored the highest in the state this year, a total of 144 out of 148 possible points.
According to Gibson-Marshall, when the Blue Ribbon visitation team came to review the school back in January, ‘they said we set an amazing standard.?
‘They were very, very complimentary,? she said. ‘They said we have nothing to offer you to improve upon at this point because you guys hit every mark that you were supposed to hit. You hit the standard and went above and beyond.?
For a small school like Leonard, tucked away in the heart of a quaint rural village, to earn such a huge state honor is quite an achievement.
‘We have less than 300 students, so it’s not always easy to compete with bigger schools in Oakland County with more resources than what we have,? Brasington explained.
But what Leonard lacks in size and resources, it more than makes up for in sheer commitment to education excellence.
‘We have great community involvement, parent involvement, strong building leadership, staff collegiality and student achievement scores,? Brasington said. ‘All that combined is pretty phenomenal because usually you can get one or two or three of those things working at the same time. But to get all five things working in concert is truly remarkable.?
Because Blue Ribbon status lasts for five years, both schools will have to repeat the process in order to retain the designation.
‘We, as educators, aren’t going to rest on our laurels,? Gibson-Marshall said. ‘We’re going to bask in the glory for two months and be excited. But I guarantee you, as soon as we hit June and July, my wheels will be turning toward what do we need to improve on and how are we going to do that.?
‘Now that we’ve gone through it, we know exactly what we’re going to be targeting in the next five years and improving on. So this is, to me, a school improvement process.?
A joint ceremony honoring Lakeville and Leonard’s Blue Ribbon status is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, May 1 at the Oxford High School Performing Arts Center.
The public is invited to attend.
‘We decided to celebrate each other and make it a district celebration,? Brasington said. ‘We’re going to bus all the Lakeville and Leonard kids there for the ceremony.?
Later that day, at 2:30 p.m., Leonard Elementary plans to conduct a parade through the village streets to share its accomplishment with the community.
Oxford Elementary was in the running as a finalist for the Blue Ribbon this year, but unfortunately, when the visitation team reviewed the school in January, it did not find all the documentation it needed to validate their application.
OES has already begun plans to apply again in September 2010.