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Friday, 23 October 2009 |
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By LESLIE MIELKE
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BLACKFOOT — Thursday, Oct. 22, was a day of celebration at Ridge Crest Elementary in Blackfoot. Ridge Crest earned a Distinguished Schools Award for 2009 by the Idaho State Board of Education.  (The Morning News — Leslie Mielke) Ridge Crest students were dressed up in their finest for the school’s celebration in honor of earning the Distinguished School Award for 2009.
“We are extremely proud of our students and teachers,” said Ridge Crest principal Colin Folsom. “It is great to be able to be recognize by the state.”
To celebrate, Thursday was “super hero” day. Students could dress as their favorite super hero or character from a book.
A morning assembly was held to present the awards. Students were surprised by the arrival the Blackfoot High School cheerleaders, Broncadettes and football players. When they broke through the banner the party revved up.
A gymnasium of joyful students greeted the news of cake for all and a half-hour recess.
“You are our super heroes,” the principal said.
“This is just huge,” said fifth grade teacher Cheri Warren. “We put everything into our ISAT tests. All of the teachers gave up their aides during the testing. The aides were able to go into the lab with the students. Just having an adult standing there made a difference,”
“It was so emotional during the ISAT testing,” Warren added, “when the kids saw that they were testing at proficient they were so happy; it was really emotional for us.”
“I can’t explain how much it means to see kids succeed. Once I was working with one particular girl, she did well on the test it was the shot she needed. After that she knew she could do it,” said paraprofessional Kristi Gifford, “It’s a team effort between the teachers, the support staff and the kids. Everyone works really hard and when you see the result, it’s exciting.”
So what’s next? “We need to keep learning interesting, and exciting for the students,” said Folsom.
Folsom said he did not know if the state had an award for achieving Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) three years in a row. “We are going to get whatever it is.”
Ridge Crest also received four Additional Yearly Growth Awards for 2009. These awards were based on the following achievements:
• Making AYP for two consecutive years.
• Grade level tests that showed an increase in a at least one group of subgroup--ethnicity or special programs, such as special education, LEP, free or reduced lunch.
*Groups/subgroups must have at least 34 or greater student populations.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 26 October 2009 )
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