By Josh Sigler
jsigler@thepaperofwabash.com
WABASH COUNTY, Ind. – St. Bernard Elementary School was named a Four Star School for the 2016-17 school year by the Indiana Department of Education.
It was the only school from Wabash County out of the 238 total schools to make the list.
St. Bernard principal Theresa Carroll:
According to the DOE, The Four Star School Award has been in existence for 30 years.
To receive Four Star designation, a school must receive an “A” on the state’s A-through-F accountability system, have excellent ISTEP pass rates, carry an overall high graduation rate (where applicable), and show success in closing achievement gaps.
“Closing the achievement gap is one of those things that everyone looks at,” Carroll said. “ How do we help those students that maybe have not done as well in the past to do better? Something that we focus on at St. Bernard is helping those students who have done well in the past continue to grow. We don’t want them to just say ‘OK, well I know this already, so I can kind of coast along.’ We work on helping them to succeed at even a higher level than they are now.”
The Four Star school award marks the second time in five years that St. Bernard has achieved the award.
“Part of that is that growth that you have to show,” Carroll explained. “If you’re up there already, it’s harder to show that growth.
“I’m so proud of all of our students and staff for their hard work and achievement.”