April 11, 2006
BELOW IS A PRESS RELEASE/STORY ON ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS BEING NAMED AS A TORCHBEARER SCHOOL BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. OUR LOCAL VERSION OF THE RELEASE IS BELOW, MIXED WITH INFO PROVIDED BY THE STATE.
THE FULL VERSION OF THE STATE'S PRESS RELEASE, INCLUDING THE LIST OF 22 SCHOOLS, FOLLOWS OUR LOCAL VERSION.
NOTE--Dr. Elsberry is unavailable today as is her office assistant, so her immediate comments have been posted below.
Dr. Elsberry may be reached TOMORROW, if needed, by calling 256-315-5105.
(Actuality 1 of Dr. Elsberry commenting on progress of rural schools CLICK HERE)
(Actuality 2 of Dr. Elsberry acknowledging the award CLICK HERE
--TALLADEGA--Childersburg Elementary School is among twenty-two Alabama public schools from across the state that has been awarded the title of 2006 Torchbearer School on Tuesday. According to the State Department of Education, the program, which took place in Montgomery, highlighted the schools cited as “examples of places of learning, exhibiting exemplary leadership and student achievement where adversity was overcome.”
Talladega County School Superintendent Dr. Cindy Elsberry said the distinction “does not come without a lot of hard work.” She credited the teachers and staff of the school for putting the initiative and effort toward the achievement goals set.
In a statewide media release, State Superintendent of Education Joe Morton recognized school leaders who have created stellar learning environments in their schools, overcoming odds that most often hinder academic success.
“It is my pleasure to commend these 22 outstanding principals who have worked so hard to turn their schools into high-performing schools even though the majority of their students come from high-poverty conditions,” said Morton. “Torchbearer schools excel because they are staffed with educators who truly care about their students enough to make learning an enriching experience.”
Furthermore, as the state also explains, Torchbearer Schools are high-poverty public schools that have overcome the odds to become high-performing schools.
“These schools offer the kind of learning environment all students should be afforded,” commented Dr. Tony Thacker of the Alabama Department of Education’s Alabama Leadership Academy, which trains effective school leaders. “Schools in the Torchbearer Schools program are perfect examples of the positive environment created when principals, faculties, and staff members work together to set common goals and meet the same high expectations.”
Criteria used to determine Torchbearer School eligibility are:
1. Seventy percent of the student population receives free/reduced price meals.
2. Seventy percent of students score at Level 3 or Level 4 on the Alabama Reading and Mathematics Test (ARMT).
3. Students exhibit above average performance on the Stanford Achievement Test –Tenth Edition.
4. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) has been achieved two consecutive years.
For further information from the state level on the Torchbearer Schools Program, contact Dr. Tony Thacker at 334-353-4180 or tthacker@alsde.edu.
**BEGIN TEXT OF FULL STATE PRESS RELEASE**
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Rebecca Leigh White
April 11, 2006 334-242-9950
rwhite@alsde.edu
ALABAMA TORCHBEARER SCHOOLS SHINE
BY EMBRACING THE ART OF TEACHING
Montgomery, Ala. – Twenty-two Alabama public schools from across the state were awarded the prestigious title of Torchbearer School during a recognition program today in Montgomery. With this recognition, these 22 schools will shine their light as examples of places of learning exhibiting exemplary leadership and student achievement where adversity was overcome.
State Superintendent of Education Joe Morton recognized school leaders who have created stellar learning environments in their schools, overcoming odds that most often hinder academic success. “It is my pleasure to commend these 22 outstanding principals who have worked so hard to turn their schools into high-performing schools even though the majority of their students come from high-poverty conditions,” said Morton. “Torchbearer schools excel because they are staffed with educators who truly care about their students enough to make learning an enriching experience.”
Torchbearer Schools are high-poverty public schools that have overcome the odds to become high-performing schools. “These schools offer the kind of learning environment all students should be afforded,” commented Dr. Tony Thacker of the Alabama Department of Education’s Alabama Leadership Academy, which trains effective school leaders. “Schools in the Torchbearer Schools program are perfect examples of the positive environment created when principals, faculties, and staff members work together to set common goals and meet the same high expectations.”
Criteria used to determine Torchbearer School eligibility are:
1. Seventy percent of the student population receives free/reduced price meals.
2. Seventy percent of students score at Level 3 or Level 4 on the Alabama Reading and Mathematics Test (ARMT).
3. Students exhibit above average performance on the Stanford Achievement Test –Tenth Edition.
4. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) has been achieved two consecutive years.
In December 2004 the Alabama Leadership Academy conducted a study of the book
No Excuses: 21 Lessons from High-Performing, High-Poverty Schools by Samuel Casey-Carter. The research-based book outlined methods used for raising achievement levels in 21 high-poverty population schools in around the nation. Based on that study, the Torchbearer Schools Program was created to recognize those types of schools in Alabama and recognize them for their success.
Thirteen schools were identified as Torchbearer Schools last year. Of this year’s Torchbearer Schools, eight of the 13 remained a Torchbearer School by meeting the criteria for a second year.
Torchbearer Schools are designated annually based on objective student achievement data. The 22 new schools were evaluated on 2005 ARMT and Stanford Achievement Test –Tenth Edition data. Additionally, goals are established on the school improvement plan. Professional development is also based on the same plan. Schools share core values in regard to autonomy, goals, faculty, leadership, assessment and achievement, and culture and climate.
In the future, each Torchbearer School will continue focusing on its specific goals and challenges. Principals must respond to a survey on why their school has experiences success when others have done less so. An onsite visit to each school by Alabama Leadership Academy staff will also help to identify specific values, programs, and reasons why the school does experience success. Additionally, a video highlighting each Torchbearer School’s success qualities will be used to show other Alabama schools how to become a Torchbearer School.
For further information on the Torchbearer Schools Program, contact Dr. Tony Thacker at
334-353-4180 or tthacker@alsde.edu.
2006 TORCHBEARER SCHOOLS
School System School
1. Athens City Athens Elementary
2. Birmingham City Councill Elementary
3. Cleburne County Fruithurst Elementary
4. Cullman County Jones Chapel Elementary
5. Dothan City Heard Elementary
6. Dothan City Cloverdale Elementary
7. Escambia County Huxford Elementary
8. Eufaula City Western Heights Elementary
9. Eufaula City Bluff City Elementary
10. Gadsden City Walnut Park Elementary
11. Jackson County Dutton Elementary
12. Jasper City West Jasper Elementary
13. Mobile County Peter F. Alba Elementary
14. Mobile County Calcedeaver Elementary
15. Mobile County McDavid-Jones Elementary
16. Mobile County WC Griggs Elementary
17. Mobile County Saint Elmo Elementary
18. Mobile County J E Turner Elementary
19. Montgomery County Highland Avenue Elementary
20. Phenix City Westview Elementary
21. Talladega County Childersburg Elementary
22. Walker County Townley Junior High
