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Stroder’s former campus earns national award
Published October 1, 2009
The 2009 National Blue Ribbon Schools were announced by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Sept. 15.
Among those recognized was Camas County Elementary-Junior High School in Fairfield, Idaho, where Ingram school superintendent J. T. Stroder formerly served as principal and superintendent.
Stroder submitted the application for the award — the nation’s highest academic honor a school can receive — prior to coming to Kerr County.
The school was one of only two campuses in Idaho to receive the honor. Webster Elementary School in Lewiston was the other.
During the past 25-plus years, only three public schools in Idaho have earned the national award.
The Camas County school was among the campuses considered that had at least 40 percent of its students coming from disadvantaged backgrounds and showed dramatic improvement in student performance based on state assessment standards.
Stroder said his former campus earned the award based on its 2005-08 achievement scores.
During that time, language and reading scores improved 33 percentage points while math scores climbed 17.
Stroder’s goal is for Ingram schools to follow suit and earn the Blue Ribbon designation, as well.
“I’d like to do it in Ingram,” he said Wednesday. “I know what it takes.”
Stroder said he researched all of the state achievement data for the state of Idaho, determined the top three school districts and visited, reviewed and evaluated them.
“They didn’t know they were at the top,” he said.
He then used the Measures of Academic Progress assessment to pinpoint students’ strengths and weaknesses in various subjects.
Based on the results, students were grouped and instructed according to their knowledge and skill levels.
For example, he said a fourth grade teacher might have 25 students, but they all won’t be on the same cognitive level. Some will be above grade level, some below and others at grade level.
That teacher would have three to five different (achievement) benchmarks within the classroom based on the students’ skills instead of trying to fit everyone into one category.
Asked how he felt about the award, Stroder said, “I’m pretty excited. It’s not an easy thing to achieve.”
He’s particularly pleased the honor was given in recognition of academic growth.
“I like to work with students and teachers to improve a district,” Stroder said, noting he is implementing a lot of the programs here.
Ingram school board members are equally excited.
“Those are the sort of things we were looking forward to him bringing to our district. He’s implementing some of those programs now. We’re excited about it,” said Ingram school board chairman Olen Hicks.
School board member Rowan Zachry agreed.
“I think it (the award) speaks to his abilities. He’s a leader for our district who will take us into the future,” he said.
“As a Hunt liaison on the Ingram school board, it is indeed inspiring to know that our students are in such capable hands,” said Laurie Lowe.
The national awards ceremony is planned for Nov. 2-3 in Washington, D.C., where 314 public and private schools nationwide will be honored.
Stroder said he plans to attend the event.
About the Blue Ribbon program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that either are academically superior or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement.
To be eligible for the award, schools must have at least 40 percent of its students from disadvantaged backgrounds that dramatically improve performance according to state assessments, or score in the top 10 percent on state assessments.
Award-winning schools are honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., where each school receives a plaque and flag signifying its status.
— U.S. Department of Education
2009 Blue Ribbon Schools in Texas
(Public and private)
• Bosqueville Elementary School, Waco
• Brandenburg Middle School, Garland
• Brownwood High School, Brownwood
• Chapel Hill Elementary School, Mount Pleasant
• Devine High School, Devine
• Dora B. Lantrip Elementary School, Houston
• Fletcher Elementary School, Beaumont
• Garden Villas Elementary School, Houston
• Garner Middle School, San Antonio
• George Bannerman Dealey International Academy, Dallas
• George Peabody Elementary School, Dallas
• Iola Elementary School, Iola
• James Bowie Elementary School, Alamo
• John F. Kennedy Elementary School, Houston
• Kenneth J. Tice Elementary School, Houston
• Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions, Houston
• Mumford Elementary School, Mumford
• Natalia Junior High School, Natalia
• Patton Springs ISD, Afton
• Sands CISD School, Ackerly
• School of Health Professions, Dallas
• Southmost Elementary School, Brownsville
• St. Mary’s Academy Charter School, Beeville
• Victor H. Hexter Elementary School, Dallas
• Wellington Elementary School, Wellington
• YES Prep Public Schools- North Central Campus, Houston
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