On Thursday, February 9th the Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction visited Allisonville Elementary to award the school  the Title 1 Distinguished School Award, which comes with a $50,000 grant for the outstanding academic achievement of its students.

The Title 1 Distinguished School program, a joint project of the U.S. Department of Education and the National Association of State Title 1 Directors, honors schools that have sustained student achievement for two or more consecutive years. To be considered, schools must have a poverty rate of at least 40 percent. The designation is based on a combination of student achievement data, an examination of Adequate Yearly Progress data, telephone interviews with the school principal and on-site visits with the school.

Dr. Bennett met privately with Allisonville’s teachers prior to a school-wide convocation, getting their input on what strategies and teaching techniques have been most effective in their classrooms. “Allisonville Elementary breeds a culture of excellence that you feel when you walk through the door,” said State Superintendent Bennett. “I was inspired in our morning session to hear a teacher very happily talk about going to basketball games, going to the baseball field, becoming enmeshed with the child’s life outside of school.”

According to the DOE, schools selected for the Distinguished Schools award must demonstrate strengths in the following areas:

• Opportunity for all children to meet proficient and advanced levels of performance;
• Strong professional development;
• Coordination with other programs;
• Curriculum and instruction to support achievement of high standards; and
• Partnerships among schools, parents and communities.

The school utilizes a 90-minute reading block and constant data collection to provide students targeted and effective instruction. The “Alllisonville Way” fosters increased engagement among community members and parents to provide a positive learning atmosphere and several extracurricular opportunities.  Allisonville is a National Blue Ribbon School and an Indiana Four Star School.  Almost 92% of its students passed the recent Math ISTEP + test.

“We have created a culture that focuses on high achievement for all students at Allisonville.  Our priority is meeting the individual needs of our students,” said Mike Pomerenke, Principal of Allisonville Elementary.

See news coverage on the day at:

http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin-washington-township-elementary-school-among-elite-in-education-20120209,0,2685177.column