For immediate release
Jan. 31, 2013
Kathy Toelkes, Director of Communications, 785-296-4876
Five Kansas Schools Nominated for Blue Ribbon Schools Awards
TOPEKA—Five Kansas schools have been nominated for the 2013 National Blue Ribbon (NBR) Schools Award Program. The nominations have been sent to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who will invite the schools to apply for this prestigious award. The final selection of the 2013 NBR schools will be made in September 2013.
The NBR program honors elementary and secondary schools that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap, recognizing schools that have at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that have shown exemplary improvement to high levels of student performance in reading and mathematics. The program also recognizes schools in which students achieve in the top 15 percent in the state on reading and mathematics assessments regardless of demographics.
“It is a pleasure for me to nominate these schools for the National Blue Ribbon Schools Award Program,” said Education Commissioner Dr. Diane DeBacker. “The commitment the staff and communities of these schools have shown to helping all students achieve is to be commended. I congratulate them for their accomplishments and thank them for their continued efforts on behalf of our students.”
A committee consisting of school administrators, staff members from previously honored NBR schools, representatives from the Kansas National Education Association (KNEA), the Kansas Association of School Boards, and the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals reviewed the data on schools deemed to have achieved improvement to high levels and those achieving at high levels regardless of demographics. The result of the process was the selection of five schools in two categories.
Group A – Schools identified as achieving improvement to high levels, serving at least 40 percent disadvantaged students.
Campus High School
2100 W. 55th Street South
Wichita, KS 67217-4199
Principal: Myron Regier
Haysville USD 261
Superintendent: Dr. John Burke
West Franklin High School
511 East Franklin
Pomona, KS 66076
Principal: Rick Smith
West Franklin USD 287
Superintendent: Dotson Bradbury
Group B – Schools in the top 15 percent of the state on the reading and mathematics assessments, regardless of demographics.
Chapman High School
400 W. 4th, Box 249
Chapman, KS 67431
Principal: Kevin Suther
Chapman USD 473
Superintendent: Lacee Sell
Mission Trail Elementary School
13200 Mission Road
Leawood, KS 66209
Principal: Debra Bond
Blue Valley USD 229
Superintendent: Dr. Tom Trigg
Oswego Neosho Heights Elementary School
12 Oregon Street
Oswego, KS 67356
Principal: Janie Allison
Oswego USD 504
Superintendent: Mark LaTurner
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