KDE recognizes Black Mountain elementary

Published 2:25 pm Friday, September 22, 2017

The Kentucky Department of Education recognized Black Mountain Elementary School recently for outstanding teaching and learning conditions. During the Continuous Improvement Summit in Lexington, the school received a certificate and a banner.

Black Mountain was one of 10 Kentucky public schools in the Winners’ Circle recognized for their effective teaching and school leadership practices and will be shared as models of best practices across the state. The Winners’ Circle schools were selected based upon the results of the 2017 Teaching, Empowering, Leading and Learning (TELL) Kentucky Survey, which was administered to all public school teachers and principals in March of this year.

“My congratulations to our 2017 TELL Kentucky Winners’ Circle Schools. With their participation, these schools have discovered the power to unlock information on critical teaching and learning conditions and harness it as part of the ongoing improvement planning process,” Commissioner of Education Stephen Pruitt said. “Research has proven it time and time again; working conditions have a direct impact on the learning conditions for students. By effectively using the information gathered, the entire school shares ownership in improving school culture, student success and its ability to close the achievement gap.”

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Other schools recognized as being in the Winner’s Circle of teaching and learning conditions include Muhlenberg South Middle (Muhlenberg County), Dawson Springs Junior/High (Dawson Springs Independent), Estes Elementary (Owensboro Independent), Colony Elementary (Laurel County), Okolona Elementary (Jefferson County), Strode Station Elementary (Clark County), Ewing Elementary (Fleming County), Carroll County Area Technology Center, Kentucky TECH Schools and Magoffin County High (Magoffin County).

The 10 were selected in a four-phase process. In Phase I, schools that reached the minimum 50 percent survey response rate threshold were identified. In Phase II, schools ranking in the third or fourth quartiles in working conditions continued to the next phase of selection. In Phase III, schools were examined for details regarding their TELL Kentucky results, specifically growth in managing student conduct, school leadership, and community support and involvement, as well as other criteria (such as school safety), using a rubric designed by the New Teacher Center and the TELL Kentucky Steering Committee. Phase IV schools met all of the minimum criteria for selection and were identified by the New Teacher Center and the TELL Steering Committee to represent each of the State Board/Judicial Districts, two at-large schools and one area technology center.

In addition to the 10 Winners’ Circle schools, 22 schools received honorable mentions and will be used as examples of best practices for other schools across the state.