New Richmond's Monroe Elementary has been honored as a School of Promise by the Ohio Department of Education for the 2011-12 school year.
To be named a School of Promise, 75 percent or more of students must score proficient or better on statewide achievement tests in reading and mathematics. The selected schools also are addressing achievement gaps, because the 75 percent proficiency measure applies to students in subgroups of 10 or more defined by race and economic disadvantage. Schools of Promise have 40 percent or more of their students eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
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| Monroe Elementary principal Joe Road with Monroe's School of Promise banner. |
“For years our Schools of Promise program has identified schools with great results despite facing challenging circumstances,” said Dr. Richard A. Ross, Ohio's superintendent of public instruction. “Our Schools of Promise do not let circumstance determine outcomes and do not let obstacles keep them from providing a quality education. Our Schools of Promise prove that there’s no reason why Ohio cannot be a national leader in providing a high-quality education in every district for every child.”
"This award is a tribute to the great amount of time our staff spends in analyzing student data and then allowing that data to inform our instructional decisions for each individual student," said Monroe principal Joe Roach, who acknowledged the leadership of former principal Mark Bailey who was principal during the 2011-12 school year.
"It is a total team effort at Monroe," added Roach. "Our special area teachers and our counselor put in hours during the week to provide reading intervention to our students when they are not doing their usual duties."
"It was very gratifying for me as the former principal to work with the fine staff and parents to help each child to reach their full potential," said Bailey, now the principal at New Richmond High School. "Everyone involved should take great pride in the fact that at Monroe the students always come first. Great students, parents, teachers, and support staff working together can make a difference, and I feel very fortunate to have played a very small role in the academic growth of Monroe Elementary School."
Monroe Elementary was one of six Clermont County schools to be named School of Promise award winners by the state. Also honored were Bethel, Clermont Northeatern and Goshen middle schools, Goshen's Spaulding Elementary and Milford's Charles L. Seipelt Elementary.
