Blue Ribbon School

Werner Elementary School students, staff and teachers were excited and a bit humbled recently after hearing they have been named a No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.

Werner is one of only three schools statewide and 320 nationwide being honored for helping students achieve at very high levels and for making significant progress in closing the achievement gap.

“The Werner community is thrilled and excited to receive this award for the accomplishment of our students, staff, and parents,” said Hayden Camp, third-year Werner principal.  “This is a testimony to the daily dedication each of these groups play in fulfilling the district mission to ‘Educate…Every child, Every day.’  We are honored and humbled to represent other excellent schools within this district and state. This national recognition is a direct reflection of the dedicated work of the entire Werner staff and community.”

Camp and Matt Braaten, sixth-grade teacher, will travel to Washington, DC, October 20 and 21, to attend a recognition ceremony. 

• Werner received notice in the fall of 2007 from the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) requesting that Werner apply for the Blue Ribbon Schools Award. 
• Werner was one of five Colorado schools nominated by the CDE to apply for the award.
• Werner was selected as a school whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests or in the case of private schools in the top 10 percent of the nation on nationally-normed tests.

The No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either academically superior or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement to high levels. The schools are selected based on one of two criteria:

• schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that dramatically improve student performance to high levels on state tests; and
• schools whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests or in the case of private schools in the top 10 percent of the nation on nationally-normed tests.

What academic results led to Werner being selected for this award?

The U.S. Department of Education look at overall academic results, and also how we’re closing the achievement gap by gender and ethnicity.  Werner, has been rated high or excellent on School Accountability Reports each year since the ratings began in 2001, and in the category of academic improvement by students. 

“We’re doing well overall, but the academic growth students are making is very strong compared to schools across the state.  We’re excited that the hard work is paying off,” says Camp. 

Werner has had outstanding levels of student growth for each of the past three years in math, reading, and writing as measured by the Colorado Growth Model.  Students attending Werner have far exceeded state norms regarding the percentage of students making a year’s growth in a year’s time as defined by the state of Colorado.

The students have also demonstrated exemplary performance levels which resulted in their performance being rated “Excellent” on their School Accountability Report for each of the past 5 years.  The district is very proud of Werner and it’s consistency in demonstrating such high levels of academic performance while also maintaining exceptional levels of academic growth.

After learning about the award, Werner staff discussed together what they believe attributes to the success of their school:

• Super parents and students—strong parental involvement, and a really strong volunteer base (about 400 last year), helping give teachers more time to teach.
• High expectations—wanting the best for every child, and consistently striving for excellence and raising the bar
• A sharing, caring, well-trained, dedicated staff who enjoy kids, work well together and all contribute to the success of the school
• A well-trained staff that is flexible about change and willing to absorb new approaches.
• A commitment to school wide reading and writing instruction, strong interventions;
• Making Werner a safe, fun place to learn and the seeing the kids really blossom because of it.

Werner notified parents about the award, and ordered more than 500 blue ribbons, one for each child and staff member, which were sent home with each student along with a short note from Camp.  The school is tentatively planning a school-wide celebration in the spring.

For more information, contact Camp at 488-5550.  For more information about Blue Ribbon Schools, go to www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/index.html