AMARILLO, TEXAS -- Any educator will tell you that getting honored as a distinguished campus doesn't come easy. But 35 schools across the Panhandle are being singled out for their exceptional work. Pronews 7 is focusing on these schools and their excellent work over the years in this week's Region 16 Spotlight Education Report.
"To receive the award you have to do good long term. To use an analogy, it's kind of what you hear at the end of a NASCAR race, that well in order for me to win a championship in NASCAR we have to do long term. We have to make good decisions and be on top of our game for a long time," said Joe Waldron, Childress ISD Federal Programs Director.
Those 35 schools across the Panhandle have several criteria to meet to become honored as a National Title 1 Distinguished Performance and Progress Campus. Two important criteria, the campuses must serve populations where 40% or more of their students come from families that are considered low-income. Second, they have to have an Exemplary rating from Spring 2010.
"Mainly it starts with being an exemplary campus on state accountability and also meeting the federal requirements of AYP," Kyle Lynch, Canadian ISD Kyle Lynch, Canadian ISD Superintendent.
As you can imagine, those honored are excited.
"Am very proud we have a good community and our parents and our students and our teachers all work very closely together to help our students be successful," said David Faver, Sundown Lane Elementary Principal.
"Am just really proud of a number of people at our school, our staff without a doubt and how hard our teachers work and administrators and all that goes into it to get our kids ready, but at the same time I think you have to be proud of your kids," said Lynch.
The criteria for Distinguished Performance Schools in Texas Include:
-Title 1, Part A campus in 2008-2009, 2009-2010 and 2010-2011
-Maintained a campus residing population of 40% or more low-income in 2010 - 2011
-Met AYP in 2009 and 2010
-Achieved a campus rating in Spring 2010 of Exemplary
-Achieved a campus rating in Spring 2009 of either Exemplary or Recognized and achieved a campus rating in Spring 2008 of either Exemplary or Recognized
The criteria for Distinguished Progress Schools in Texas Include:
-Title 1, Part A campus in 2008 - 2009, 2009 - 2010 and 2010 - 2011
-Maintained a campus residing population of 40% or more low-income in 2010 - 2011
-Met AYP in 2009 and 2010
-Achieved a campus rating in Spring 2010 of Exemplary
-Achieved a campus rating in Spring 2009 of Exemplary or Recognized and achieved a campus rating in Spring 2008 of either Academically Unacceptable or Academically Acceptable.
List of Districts Recognized:
Adrian ISD, Amarillo ISD, Canadian ISD, Canyon ISD, Childress ISD, Claude ISD, Dalhart ISD, Dumas ISD, Farwell ISD, Gruver ISD, Happy ISD, Memphis ISD, PSP CISD, Pringle-Morse CISD, Silverton ISD, Spearman ISD, Stratford ISD, Vega ISD, Wellington ISD, White Deer ISD
List of Schools:
Adrian School, Avondale Elementary, Bivins Elementary, Coronado Elementary, Glenwood Elementary, Lamar Elementary, Landergin Elementary, South Lawn Elementary, Sunrise Elementary, Tradewind Elementary, Wolflin Elementary, Mesa Verde Elementary, Whittier, Baker Elementary, Canyon Intermediate, Reeves-Hinger Elementary, Sundown Lane Elementary, Childress Elementary, Claude Elementary, Dalhart Elementary, Green Acres Elementary, Farwell Elementary, Gruver Elementary, Gruver JHS, Gruver HS, Happy HS, Happy Elementary, Memphis HS, West Texas Elementary, Pringle-Morse Elementary and Junior High School, Silverton School, Spearman JHS, Mary Allen Elementary, Stratford JHS, Vega Elementary, Wellington Elementary, White Deer Elementary
