Trio of Wooster schools honored for excellence
Edgewood Middle School received an Honorable Mention as an Ohio School of Character from the Ohio Partners in Character Education.
An honorable mention recognizes schools that implement and maintain programs that help build character and create a positive learning environment for students.
To be considered for the award, Edgewood implemented many of the Eleven Principals of Effective Character Education, which includes creating a caring community, fostering students' self-motivation, providing students with opportunities for moral action and promoting core ethical and performance values as the foundation of good character.
Edgewood's character building programs include the Blue and Gold Card program, which recognizes students who achieve high academic standards, and the Veterans Day program, which gives students the opportunity to show respect and thank veterans for their years of service.
Edgewood is also a part of the renowned Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in which students participate in weekly classroom meetings to help them solve bullying issues at school and in their community.
"At the middle school age, students are beginning to mature and come into their own," said Rodney Hopton, Edgewood principal.
"This is the perfect age to really instill character building, as they will take what they've learned to the high school and beyond," said Hopton, adding, "I'm proud of the programs that have been created and are expanded on each year."
In addition to receiving an Honorable Mention as an Ohio School of Character, Edgewood also received Promising Practice Awards from the Ohio Partners in Character Education for its Empowerment Day and its Veterans Day celebration.
"At Wooster, we strive to provide our students with a world-class education and for us that includes and reaches well beyond academics," said Superintendent Michael Tefs. "We want to help build character in our students so they become positive role models for their peers and community members alike."
Kean and Melrose elementary schools also received accolades from the Ohio Department of Education by being named Schools of Promise for the 2010-2011 school year.
According to district officials, this honor is based on the results of the schools' most recent state report card on which they both received an Excellent rating.
Kean and Melrose were two of only 122 schools in the state of Ohio to be recognized as Schools of Promise for their high achievement scores in reading and mathematics, despite having more than 40 percent of the student bodies coming from low-income households.
"This is the second year in a row that Melrose has been named a School of Promise," said principal Dean Frank. "This distinction, along with our Excellent rating, is a reflection of our faculty and staff who go above and beyond to make sure the needs of all of our students are met."
In order to qualify as a School of Promise, 40 percent of a school's students must come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and the school must meet Adequate Yearly Progress. Each School of Promise must also exceed the state standard of 75 percent passage in both reading and math.
"Our staff strives to seek new and improved methodologies, incorporating technology in lesson design to engage and motivate all students," said Peg Butler, Kean principal.
"The support we receive from our parent community is also a contributing factor to our success," said Butler, adding, "we work together to develop a school culture that is nurturing and full of learning."
Both Kean and Melrose Elementary will receive an official School of Promise banner to display in their buildings.
For more information on the Wooster City School District, log on http://www.woostercityschools.org.