November 6, 2002
Standout schools receive Golden Apples
Six area schools earn awards from governor
By Lisa Perkins
Herald staff writer
For the third time in as many years, Bill Smith, principal of Traverse City's Eastern Elementary School, was on hand as Governor John Engler announced the winners of the Golden Apple Award. The award is given to Michigan's highest achieving and most improved elementary schools, based on MEAP test results.
Eastern Elementary was one of six Traverse City schools to receive the Golden Apple - and the only elementary school in the class A division to receive the "high achievement" award. Blair , Long Lake, Courtade and East Bay elementaries and the Traverse Bay Community School received a "most improved" Golden Apple.
Schools receiving the "most improved" award must have increased their composite student scores in mathematics, science, reading and writing by at least 60 points over the past three academic years. The "high achievement" honor goes to the school with the highest test scores in the state for the school year.
"Students who are successful in their elementary years build on that learning in their middle school and high school years," said Governor John Engler, according to the Michigan state government website, www.Michigan.gov.
"It is important to recognize achievement in these early years. That's the purpose behind the Golden Apple Award. It's an incentive that recognizes that when we reward success, more success will follow."
Smith is quick to credit the Eastern Elementary staff for the school's success.
"I think that we just have an outstanding staff. They deliver curriculum very well and they are concerned about where our students are coming from and where they are going to. They also communicate very well with our families and keep them involved," said Smith, noting that family involvement plays a vital role in the school's achievements.
"We are blessed to be in a community that cares about education," Smith noted.