An elementary school in far southeast Oklahoma City and a magnet school in Muskogee lead the U.S. News and World Report rankings of the top elementary and middle schools in Oklahoma.
The publication released its state-by-state rankings on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
The No. 1 elementary school, Schwartz Elementary, is part of the Mid-Del Schools system, which primarily serves Midwest City and Del City in eastern Oklahoma County. It was named as a Blue Ribbon School honoree by the U.S. Department of Education – considered one of the highest honors a school can receive – in 2008 and 2015.
The school, located at 12001 SE 104th St., serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Mid-Del Superintendent Rick Cobb said district leaders were proud of the staff and students at Schwartz.
“From the principal to the teachers to the support staff, we have seen incredible continuity at the school,” he said. “They are also committed to constant innovation and improvement.”
Schwartz Principal Rondall Jones has held that position for 15 years.
“We celebrate progress, not perfection, and we remind our students that the future isn’t someday, it is built on the choices and efforts they make right now,” Jones said. “Our commitment is to keep improving, keep collaborating and keep doing what is best for kids.”
Schwartz Elementary School principal Rondall Jones.
The rest of the top five Oklahoma elementary schools on the U.S. News and World Report list were:
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Clegern Elementary, Edmond Public Schools
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Richmond Elementary, Stillwater Public Schools
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Wayland Bonds Elementary, Moore Public Schools
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Cross Timbers Elementary, Edmond Public Schools
Edmond Superintendent Josh Delich said his district took pride in having two of the top five schools on the elementary list, which he said signaled the district’s culture of excellence.
“As we said when our three high schools made the top seven list earlier this year, when you combine our incredible students and their families working in partnership with our remarkably talented faculty and staff, it results in a high-quality learning environment for everyone in Edmond,” Delich said.
What are the top middle schools in Oklahoma?
Sadler Arts Academy, a K-8 magnet school in the Muskogee Public Schools district, was No. 1 on the list of top Oklahoma middle schools. According to the school’s website, at Sadler, all content areas – reading, math, language, science and social studies – are taught through the arts. Students cycle through special arts learning labs in dance and creative movement, visual arts and vocal music.
Principal Ronia Davison said arts are a central pillar of students’ learning.
“At Sadler Arts Academy, we challenge our students to think critically, solve complex problems, and engage deeply with core disciplines,” Davison said. “Much of our student growth comes from inquiry-based projects, cross-disciplinary study and opportunities for independent exploration, which push students to higher levels of intellectual development.
The rest of the top five middle schools were:
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Oakdale Public School, part of a K-8 district in Edmond
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Pioneer Public School, a dependent district in Chickasha
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Brink Junior High School, Moore Public Schools
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Warner Middle School, Warner Public Schools
U.S. News and World Report said it evaluated schools based on state standardized test results in English language arts and math. Half of the formula used the scores themselves, with the other half incorporating test results in the context of socioeconomic demographics. The rankings used the same methodology for all grade levels.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Top Oklahoma elementary, middle schools according to US World News
