MOUNT VERNON — Dan Emmett Elementary School has been recognized as a 2007-08 “School of Promise” by the Ohio Department of Education, one of 146 statewide to be so designated. The building houses approximately 330 students in grades kindergarten through five, as well as the district’s intermediate multiple handicapped class.
The announcement by the ODE means that the staff and students have been successful in working hard to meet the school’s vision and mission statements. The vision statement says that all children will be successful, and the mission statement promises that students will engage in learning activities suited to their needs, interests and abilities.
All subgroups of Dan Emmett students have done well on state tests and the achievement gaps between groups have been considerably lessened, especially in reading, the reason for the state honor.
Dan Emmett also meets the other criteria for a school of promise: A positive school culture; parent and community involvement; instruction designed for all students’ success; rigorous standards and instruction; and strong instructional leadership.
Susan Tave Zelman, superintendent of public instruction commended Dan Emmett principal Margy Arck and the staff. “The efforts of your hard work will extend well beyond this award,” she wrote, “Your students will be the leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow.”
Mount Vernon superintendent Steve Short said he was proud of the students at Dan Emmett because all have contributed to the school’s success. He also said, “I think it’s great that two years in a row Mount Vernon has had two different elementary schools qualify for this recognition. Columbia Elementary was named a School of Promise last year.”
