State recognizes schools’ work with poor students

By DAN KEGLEY/Staff

Two Smyth County schools are among those across the state the Virginia Department of Education recognized for raising the achievement of economically disadvantaged students.
Rich Valley and Saltville Elementary are Title I Distinguished Schools, an award earned by 118 schools “for maintaining full state accreditation under the commonwealth’s Standards of Learning program for two consecutive years, meeting federal benchmarks in reading and mathematics and having average test scores in both subjects at the 60th percentile or higher,” a statement from DOE said.
“These awards show that all children — regardless of family income — can learn and achieve,” said Virginia Board of Education President Mark E. Emblidge. “With all this success it is easy to forget that there once was a widespread belief that children from economically disadvantaged communities should not be expected to meet high standards.”
“Educators in these schools overcome challenges every day as they prepare children for brighter futures,” said Billy K. Cannaday Jr., Virginia’s superintendent of public instruction. “They focus on each child and are not daunted by higher annual benchmarks.”
Title I of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation provides funding to school divisions and schools for programs to raise the achievement of students identified as being at risk. The federal education law requires schools and school divisions to meet annual objectives for increasing student achievement on statewide assessments in reading/language arts and mathematics. During 2006-2007, 544, or 75 percent, of Virginia’s 723 Title I schools met all NCLB objectives, according to DOE.
On Friday, Saltville Elementary Principal Brenda Boone credited the dedication of the teachers for her school’s achievement. “Our teachers are dedicated to students learning as much as they can, and they’re always looking for ways to improve.”
But according to Boone, the school is not alone in its dedication to students’ success.
“We have a lot of support from the central office. That’s key, the teamwork,” Boone said of school division administrators’ role that, along with teachers’ efforts, helps overcome the economic disadvantage that is a perennial challenge to education in the region, as compared to wealthier parts of the state.
“We may come from an area without money to spend like other areas,” Boone said. “Our human resources are something that a lot of places don’t have.”
That teamwork and maximizing achievement per dollar spent on education were two characteristics of the division reflected in a recent report by a review committee considering the school system’s application for district accreditation.
Jimmie Lawrence, state director for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement, told the school board April 16 he lauded among other qualities a shared vision and the relationship between the school system and its board.
He also said half of the division’s students “come from lower socio-economic strata. To perform at this level is tremendous. I heard over and over, ‘our folks do the best they can with what they have.’ We have no option but to agree.”
Tamela Johnson, principal at Rich Valley Elementary was in Williamsburg and Smyth County Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Robinson was in Charlottesville Friday, unavailable for comment on the recognitions.
In the region, Washington County’s — Greendale, High Point and Watauga elementary schools—and Wythe’s Sheffey elementary were similarly recognized.