14 SCHOOLS FROM ACROSS STATE RECOGNIZTED FOR THEIR STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS

Fourteen schools have won honors for their students’ academic achievements. For 2016, the state is recognizing two National Title I Distinguished School awardees, two Reward Schools and nine Recognition Schools. Each school will receive an $8,000 award. Funding for the awards comes from the state’s School Improvement funds. Additionally, there is one School of Continued Excellence that was honored as a Recognition School last year and had outstanding performance again this year but is not eligible for a financial award again until 2017. 

 “These schools are being honored because of their students’ exceptional performance and/or the significant growth they have made, particularly in closing achievement gaps. Congratulations to the students, teachers and administrators whose dedicated work led to these achievements,” Secretary of Education Steve Godowsky said.

 National Title I Distinguished School awards are presented by the National Association of State Title I Directors. Reward and Recognition School awards were created by legislation passed by the Delaware General Assembly in 2009. The awards are given (a) to schools whose students are performing at an exceptionally high level, particularly those schools with large percentages of students coming from low-income households and (b) to schools that have succeeded in closing the achievement gap for students such as low-income students, students from minority groups and students with disabilities.

 The winning schools have discretion in deciding how to spend their award money to benefit their students and school as a whole. As in years past, each school will appoint a committee (with administration, teacher, support staff and parent representation) to determine how the award will be used.

 Two of the schools are National Title I Distinguished School awardees chosen for exceptional performance and/or closing the achievement gap. National Title I Distinguished Schools are Title I schools that met national criteria and have not been Title I Distinguished school awardees in the past two years.

 Reward Schools are Title I schools (federal classification based on percentage of low income population) whose students are either the highest performing or show the highest amount of growth in performance.

 Recognition Schools are chosen for exceptional performance and/or closing the achievement gap.

 Schools that have received state awards during 2015 and continue to qualify for Reward or Recognition School distinction in 2016 are named Schools of Continued Excellence to recognize their sustained accomplishments. They will be eligible for funds again next year if they meet the Reward or Recognition School qualifications.

 The 2016 winners are below:

 National Distinguished Title I Schools and Recognition Schools

·         Lake Forest North Elementary School, Lake Forest School District

·         Booker T. Washington Elementary School, Capital School District

 Reward Schools

·         East Millsboro Elementary School, Indian River School District

·         Lake Forest East Elementary School, Lake Forest School District

 Recognition Schools

·         Academy of Dover Charter School, Dover

·         W. Reily Brown Elementary School, Caesar Rodney School District

·         John M. Clayton Elementary School, Indian River School District

·         Robert S. Gallaher Elementary School, Christina School District

·         Nellie Hughes Stokes Elementary School, Caesar Rodney School District

·         North Dover Elementary School, Capital School District

·         Seaford Central Elementary School, Seaford School District

·         Phillip C. Showell Elementary School, Indian River School District

·         Jennie E. Smith Elementary School, Christina School District

 School of Continued Excellence

·         Lake Forest South Elementary School, Lake Forest School District