HANCOCK COUNTY — Matt Davis summed it up in one word: “Awesome.”
The school at which Davis is principal, Weston Elementary School on the west side of Greenfield, joined five others across Hancock County as some of the best in Indiana, according to state officials.
The Indiana Department of Education announced the 2017-18 Four Star Schools list, a designation given to schools that received “A” accountability grades and had students in each grade score in the top 25th percentile of pass rates on the state’s high-stakes ISTEP+ English language arts and math exams. Six of the 234 Indiana Four Star Schools were split among three Hancock County school districts.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryThe state honored three Greenfield-Central Community School Corporation schools: Maxwell Intermediate School, Eden Elementary School and Weston Elementary School; two in the Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation: Mt. Vernon High School and McCordsville Elementary School; and one for the Community School Corporation of Eastern Hancock County: Eastern Hancock High School.
The Four Star School Award has been given for more than three decades. At least one Hancock County school has received the recognition during each of the last nine school years, according to IDOE.
“Receiving designation as a Four Star School reflects academic excellence among students, educators and the administration,” said Jennifer McCormick, Indiana’s superintendent of public instruction. “I am honored to recognize these Four Star Schools for their hard work and dedication in preparing their students for a bright and prosperous future.”
Davis said earning the designation begins with the cooperation of teachers, students, staff and families pushing for academic excellence. Weston has a strong tradition of support, Davis added. Volunteers often come to read with students, and even the local dog troupe Bentley’s Buddies and Friends lends a helping paw on Fridays.
More than 70 percent of Weston’s third-graders passed the ISTEP exam last school year, 20 percentage points higher than the state average, according to IDOE data. Weston is a K-3 school, and only students in grades 3-8 as well as high school sophomores are required to take the ISTEP exam.
Davis said preparing students for school starts before they enter the kindergarten classroom.
“It’s the families working with the kids,” he said. “That’s the nice thing: there’s such a focus on learning for all. It’s not just testing time. It’s how to grow kids. We’re in the business of growing kids.”
Jobie Whitaker, principal of Maxwell Intermediate School, shared a similar sentiment to that of Davis.
“It’s quite helpful when those three are all pulling in the same direction,” he said about staff, students and families.
Maxwell Intermediate was last named as a Four Star School more than a decade ago, Whitaker said, when the building operated as a middle school. He said the school has had a “slow, steady growth over time,” adding teachers have been working to improve their craft and meet the needs of all students.
Eden Elementary School has been named a Four Star School six times in the past seven school years. Principal Melia Hammons said she’s reminded of the school’s community when reflecting on the award.
“(Eden staff) continue to stretch themselves professionally to grow and take risks for the academic success of our students,” Hammons wrote in an email. “Our students come to school ready to learn and give it all they have in the classroom. However, it doesn’t stop at the school doors. Our families are very supportive of our school and work at home to enhance the growth of their children as well.”
Each Tuesday after school lets out, all Greenfield-Central Schools staff collaborate through “Professional Learning Communities,” or a PLC. They routinely discuss best teaching practices and goals for students in their classes. Davis said teachers focus on learning, building a collaborative culture and results.
Mt. Vernon schools received Four Star School honors for the first time since the 2014-15 school year, when Mt. Vernon High School was given the designation for the fourth consecutive year, according to state data. McCordsville Elementary School was last honored with the accolade in the 2010-11 school year.
Superintendent Jack Parker, who joined the district in January, shared his thoughts about the distinction in a news release Monday.
“In my short tenure, here I have learned many of the positive accolades Mt. Vernon has received, but I am exceptionally pleased with this announcement,” Parker wrote. “Please congratulate these students and staff for their outstanding work in receiving this achievement.”
Dave Pfaff, principal of Eastern Hancock High School, said although the award is mostly based off test scores, he said staff knows instruction is much more than teaching to a test. The rural school provides a “small-school community feel,” he said, while also offering a “top-notch educational experience.”
“We feel we do a great job of setting high expectations for academic excellence and achieving those expectations through a relationship-driven culture,” Pfaff said.
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The Indiana Department of Education named six Hancock County Four Star Schools for the 2017-18 school year.
Greenfield-Central Community School Corporation
- Maxwell Intermediate School
- Eden Elementary School
- Weston Elementary School
Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation
- Mt. Vernon High School
- McCordsville Elementary School
Community School Corporation of Eastern Hancock County
- Eastern Hancock High School
Source: Indiana Department of Education
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