Oak Grove Elementary Principal Jenifer Richardson traveled to Philadelphia, Pa., last week to attend the National Title I Conference where she and her team were recognized as a National Distinguished Title I School. Oak Grove is one of two Missouri schools selected for the award, and one of 100 nationwide.
The National Title I Association works to ensure all children, especially those living in economically disadvantaged conditions, have the opportunity to receive a high quality education, according to its website. Richardson said Oak Grove was selected for its exceptional performance in closing the achievement gap between student groups.
"We look at all children, no matter what," Richardson said. "Whatever subgroup they're in, we serve and we look to meet their needs."
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) defines subgroups as "disabled, minority, free and reduced lunch and other students." Richardson said she attributes an all-inclusive culture to the success of her school.
"It wasn't our goal to go out and win this award because we didn't even know this award existed," Richardson said. "But we are very excited because we felt like the work my staff focused on last year became visible."
In November, Richardson received a phone call from DESE notifying her that Oak Grove had been chosen. She said she was unfamiliar with the award and instantly asked for the selection criteria.
According to DESE's Director of Federal Programs, Julia Cowell, Oak Grove had the biggest growth in the subgroup category in the state. Cowell said by using a formula comprised of test scores from the English Langauge Arts and math portions of the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP), the school with the highest closing gap was determined.
"When we look at MAP scores, we don't look at subgroups, we look at all gaps," Richardson said. "But really this was just about hard work and looking at what the causes were and how we can close the gap. What can we do instructionally to meet the kids who aren't getting it?"
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Patty Robertson said the collaborative culture Richardson promotes within the school is key to driving success.
"It's those five second grade teachers working as a team to meet the needs of those students," Robertson said. "It really hasn't been easy because I think the natural tendency is for a teacher to want to focus on his or her 25 kids, but the reality is, you can't really do it by yourself."
Richardson said in her mind, all means all when it comes to building relationships and creating a positive environment for students at Oak Grove Elementary.
"It starts with our custodians," she said. "When you walk into a clean building, it makes you feel good and refreshed. Then you get a good meal in your belly prepared by our cooks and they're greeting the kids, too. So we've got our custodians, our cooks, our support staff, our certified staff and if everybody is doing their part, it really makes for a good environment."
Richardson said although she is excited to have been selected as a Distinguished Title I School, her work is not finished. She said now she and her team will focus on maintaining the practices that were proven successful and adjusting them as needed to ensure students continue receiving instruction that works.