Jamaica Elementary honored for excellence

Jamaica Elementary School has been named one of 19 A+ Schools of Excellence for 2007-08 by the Arizona Educational Foundation.

The designation was created to highlight the successes of the state’s most effective schools and provide a venue for sharing their best practices.

“It’s considered by the state to be the highest honor you can receive,” Principal Paula Levensailor said after she found out about the award Friday. “And I think it’s really neat for the city, too.”

The school will host a presentation ceremony and a barbecue to celebrate the award in May.

The award is the result of a rigorous application and evaluation process. Levensailor submitted a detailed application form, which required a 25-page, singled-spaced narrative describing the school’s demographics, mission, goals, and academic programs and services.

In March, a team of principals from schools already designated as A+ conducted a two-day site visit to verify the information in Levensailor’s application. During the visit the judges met independently with students, parents and community members.

The findings of the visit were passed on to a panel of 30 judges who made the final selection. Schools were judged their effectiveness in the areas of student focus and support, active teaching and learning, curriculum, community/parent involvement, leadership and assessment data.

“It’s very much like going through an accreditation process,” Levensailor said.

Levensailor said she had wanted to go for the designation since opening the Jamaica in 2001, but the school had to be in operation for at least five years before she could apply.

Thirty-one schools applied to be named A+ Schools this year, according to foundation Executive Director Bobbie O’Boyle. All but three of this year’s honorees are in the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas.

The designation is good for three years, at which time the school can reapply. School’s awarded a second time are designated as A++ Schools.

You may contact the reporter at dparker@havasunews.com.