Fairview Elementary School (Maggie Darnell for The Cullman Tribune)
FAIRVIEW – Fairview Elementary School has been named a 2018 Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School by Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence, Inc. (BRSE). BRSE is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that provides continuous improvement support with a comprehensive approach including professional development, best practice sharing and national conferences and networking. Fairview Elementary started in the spring and was qualified as a Blue Ribbon Beacon School. After implementing improvement strategies since then, on Oct. 4 the school was notified it had achieved Lighthouse School status.
Fairview Elementary Principal, Marty Hardman, is appreciative and delighted with the achievement, saying, “I’m proud of the students, faculty and staff for their hard efforts. I’m proud to be a part of this school; this award shows our hard work being recognized.”
Cullman County Schools Superintendent Dr. Shane Barnette shared, “I am very proud of Fairview Elementary School. This is evidence of the great things that are going on in our schools. Fairview is a great community with a school full of wonderful leaders, faculty and staff. I am also very excited for the students and families of Fairview because they make education a priority and this is recognition of their efforts, as well.”
According to the BRSE’s website, “The BRSE Blueprint for Excellence is designed to be a positive school improvement process that covers nine major categories of critical performance elements found in excellent schools.” Those nine categories are: Student Focus and Support; School Organization and Culture; Challenging Standards and Curriculum; Active Teaching and Learning; Technology Integration; Professional Community; Leadership and Educational Vitality; School, Family, and Community Partnerships; and Indicators of Success
According to the BRSE:
“The Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School Award is a recognition program for schools of excellence and is not designed as a typical application process. Schools are identified and selected for this award based on achievement of excellent performance in all nine major categories of the Blueprint for Excellence assessment. Schools achieving excellence in less than nine categories could be eligible for the ‘Points of Light’ Award or recognition as an Aspiring School. Schools will be notified of their status soon after completion of the assessment process and honored in an awards ceremony at the annual Blue Ribbon Schools Blueprint for Excellence Conference in December. These awards are given at the sole discretion of the BRSE.
“An assessment does not imply or guarantee award eligibility. In fact, a school often implements improvement strategies to move from Aspiring School, to Points of Light School, Blue Ribbon Beacon School and then to Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School.”
In order to receive a Lighthouse Award, a school must exceed the established standard in all nine of the listed categories, a process which usually takes place over the course of multiple school years.
Fairview Elementary joins Cullman Middle School, East Elementary School, Fairview Middle School and Parkside School as the Cullman area’s Lighthouse Schools. Cullman-area Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Beacon Schools include Good Hope Primary School and West Point Intermediate School. Cullman-area Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Points of Light Schools include Good Hope Middle School and Vinemont Middle School. (As more 2018 schools are named, The Tribune will report that.)
The 2018 winners will be awarded their banners at the Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence National Conference, which will take place in Orlando Nov. 27-30.
Learn more at www.blueribbonschools.com.
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