Frederick school principals Janice Crume and Kay Cabaniss appreciate the challenging work educators have completed the past several years, helping their elementary-age students close the academic gap that previously existed.
Frederick Elementary, which includes pre-K through second grade students at Prather-Brown Center, received the prestigious 2020 National Blue Ribbon award for academic excellence and progress. The school was honored as an exemplary achievement gap closing school, which was among Oklahoma’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students, according to a statement from Oklahoma Superintendent of Instruction Joy Hofmeister.
“This is a prestigious award and we were excited to even be nominated. Everybody was excited,” Principal Crume said.
Frederick Elementary was one of six Oklahoma schools to receive a Blue Ribbon award and among 367 schools nationwide.
“This is the highest award an educator can receive,” Cabaniss said. “It starts in pre-K and goes all the way through the 12th grade. It (award) may have Frederick Elementary’s name on it, but the learning starts in pre-K and continues all the way through high school.”
Frederick Elementary used two academic programs to help achieve its latest round of success. The first program, known as Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS), provides teachers with the skills they need to master the fundamentals of reading instruction, including phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing and language. The second program allows teachers to intervene at three levels when students show a lack of academic progress.
“At the first level, everyone (students) gets involved,” Cabaniss said. “At the second level, there may be a group of students who are having difficulty with a certain subject, and at the third level there are fewer students with severe learning issues.”
For example, a class may work 45 minutes a day on open and closed syllables if that appears to be a learning problem, the principals said.
“We know what they need, and we do things to continually help them get to the level where they need to be,” Crume said. “What we’re doing is working very well and always looking for ways to improve.”
Students in pre-K through 2nd grade are tested and receive progress monitoring every six weeks. “They grow so much in the lower grades,” Crume said.
Low scores for reading were a challenge for Frederick Elementary. As a result, teachers were trained in the Science of Reading and a multi-tiered system of support was added to the day during the 2019-2020 term. Students enjoy “Flex” time, which is a multi-sensory intervention focusing on phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. After testing and screening, students attend a class that specifically focuses on the skill they need to address. As students’ needs are met, they are reassessed and moved to the Flex group that fits their current needs.
Frederick Elementary strives to meet the needs of all students. Additional programs for students are available to promote learning. Being in a rural community, agriculture is important, so teachers utilize the Ag in the Classroom program. Students are involved in music, art, and physical education classes. They also have the opportunity to participate in robotics and STEM activities. Students are equipped with technology education through the use of Chromebooks and Google Classroom.
State Superintendent Hofmeister said she is inspired by the effort and teamwork the honored Oklahoma schools have shown.
“This level of excellence requires visionary leadership, exceptional educators who prioritize meeting the needs of students every day and the support of engaged families,” she said in her prepared statement. “I congratulate these six schools for being recognized as among the very best in the United States.”
Now in its 38th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has presented almost 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools, with some schools winning multiple awards. Schools are eligible for nomination after five years and up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. This year’s winners will be honored in a virtual ceremony Nov. 12-13.