Cole County, Mo. — The U.S. Secretary of Education named a Cole County elementary school as a 2022 national blue ribbon schools honoree, making it one of eight in Missouri.
Nationwide, almost 300 schools were honored. The Department of Education stated that it assesses National Blue Ribbon Schools award credentials based on a school’s overall academic achievement or progress in closing student performance gaps. It also recognizes the work that students, teachers, and faculty have contributed to strive for “exemplary achievement.”
Blair Oaks Elementary School Principal Tara Bishop and her staff announced the receipt of the award to the entire school district in a small ceremony at 3:00 p.m. on Friday. She said that students are working very hard to improve their studies but that teachers have taken their efforts further in going above and beyond in the classroom.
“They grow so fast, but then we have wonderful teachers and wonderful staff here at Blair Oaks,” Bishop said. “And the kiddos, they’re amazing. Seeing their smiling faces is the best part of my job, actually, [and] is morning duty. Getting them out of the cars every day; just to see their smiling faces and happy to be here.”
Blair Oaks also has a unique method of teaching, where data is taken on their students several times a year. They also place them into enrichment groups to help them grow academically and socially with one another.