Oak Grove Elementary earns Gold Star Award from state

Oak Grove Elementary is one of only eight schools in Missouri to receive a Gold Star School Award, according to an announcement this week.

The award recognizes high academic performance or schools which perform at high levels while serving a significant proportion of disadvantaged students.

“We are very excited and honored to receive this prestigious recognition,” said Principal Jenifer Richardson. “This recognition is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our staff, students, parents and community members.”

In order to be nominated by the state, the school must be in the top 15% of all public schools in the state based on the performance of all students who participated in the state assessment in English language arts and mathematics, Richardson said. Public schools must meet their performance targets in each of the two years prior to nomination.

Oak Grove had nearly 76% of students score proficient or advanced in English language arts on the 2017-18 state testing. Almost 85% of students scored proficient or advanced in math. Students also had high marks the previous year.

A key component in the campus’s success has been focusing on the Professional Learning Communities Model, Richardson said.

“We have strong collaborative teams and have created a positive school culture and learning environment for our staff and students,” she explained. “Our teachers meet on an ongoing basis to work collaboratively, focusing on data and best practices to guide instruction and improve student achievement of every child.

“I am very proud of the hard work and dedication that our students and staff demonstrate on a daily basis.”

Oak Grove has also been nominated by the U.S. Department of Education for recognition as a 2019 National Blue Ribbon Schools, Richardson said. Gold Star Schools must meet one more year of qualifying Missouri Assessment Program scores in English language arts and mathematics to become a National Blue Ribbon School. The announcement of Blue Ribbons Schools will come this fall.

Oak Grove also received the National Title I Distinguished School Award in 2017 for Closing the Achievement Gap, Richardson said. It was one of two schools in Missouri to receive this award that year.

Oak Grove has received the following PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports) Awards: 2016-17 Bronze Award – Tier 1 Implementation; 2017-18 Bronze Award - Tier 1 Sustaining; and 2018-19 Silver Award – Tier 2 Implementation.

Other schools receiving the Gold Star honor include: Skyline Elementary, Hickory County R-I School District; Becky-David Elementary, Francis Howell R-III School District; Westchester Elementary, Kirkwood R-VII School District; Warren Elementary, Francis Howell R-III School District; James Walker Elementary, Blue Springs R-IV School District; Conway Elementary, Ladue School District; and Daniel Boone Elementary, Francis Howell R-III School District.

“The students, faculty and staff at these eight schools have earned this recognition,” said Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Margie Vandeven in a press release. “Their efforts reflect Missouri’s continuing work to prepare every student to succeed in school and in life.”

DESE established the Missouri Gold Star Schools program in 1991.

The program aligns with the national Blue Ribbon Schools program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education.

The Missouri Gold Star Schools program uses the same criteria for nomination as the National Blue Ribbon Schools program.

Recipients of the state’s award were nominated for national Blue Ribbon recognition. Blue Ribbon Schools will be announced this fall by the U.S. Department of Education.