Two Madison schools and a Madison County elementary have been named “Banner Schools” by the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools.
Central School, Horizon Elementary and Bob Jones High were among a dozen winners announced Monday by CLAS, according to news releases from CLAS and Madison City Schools.
The CLAS Banner School awards were begun in 2001 to identify and recognize schools and programs with successful education programs that serve as models for other schools across the state, according to the council’s website. Winning principals and superintendents are honored at an annual luncheon in Montgomery and are presented with a banner to display at their schools.
Central School was honored for its efforts at making students lifelong learners. According to the news release from CLAS, the students give back to the community through several programs that include a soup kitchen donation drive, Jeans for Teens, Christmas dinner donations for needy families and a blanket drive for the homeless.
Each year, Central students also hold a school supply drive for students in Africa, with a school custodian travelling to Africa to deliver the supplies and books. Students help each other as well, through student tutoring and the Reading Buddies and Writing Partners programs.
Teachers volunteer their time each summer to give students a six-week summer reading program, the news release said.
Horizon won for its tutoring program, which takes students weak in reading or math and immerses them in intensive 25-week tutoring sessions. Certified teachers spend 90 minutes a week tutoring the students, who show marked gains in their achievement scores.
Horizon faculty members also engage in “effective best practices to meet the needs of all students,” the district news release said, and students are provided with opportunities to develop and demonstrate leadership skills. One example is Horizon’s HETV morning show, which is designed and produced by students.
Older students also serve as ambassadors at Horizon, monitoring the hallways, working in the car lines and partnering with younger students as “book buddies.”
Bob Jones was recognized for its marriage of rigorous honors and Advanced Placement courses with Alabama’s Career Tech Education clusters, a partnership that attaches students’ core academic skills to real world situations.
CLAS commended Bob Jones High for giving students a schedule that allows them to maximize their time in labs, doing project-based learning, and curriculum guided by student performance data.
The school offers 28 honors courses and 24 AP courses, the news release said. Its medical academy offers students participation in EMT, biomedical and health sciences programs and its engineering academy allows students to create blueprints, price estimates, 3D drawings and formal presentations.
Superintendents David Copeland and Dee Fowler and the schools’ principals will be recognized at a luncheon in Montgomery later this month.
Crystal Bonvillian can be reached at 256-532-2630 or at cbonvillian@al.com.
via Madison city, county schools named ‘Banner Schools’ by education group (updated) | al.com.
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