Holice Powell named Blue Ribbon School

Holice Powell Elementary School was selected as a 2009 Blue Ribbon School. Only about 3.9 percent of schools nationwide have received this honor. Principal Alice Seratt said they are planning on having a ceremony to give all of the students blue ribbons for their hard work.

The No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Program encourages states to nominate public kindergarten through grade-12 schools that are either academically superior or demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors schools based on two criteria: 1) High-performing schools - those whose students regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests and 2) Dramatically improved schools - those with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that demonstrate huge improvement in student performance. Schools must also meet Adequate Yearly Progress in reading and math.

"We are proud of the accomplishments of Principal Alice Seratt, the staff, and the students of Holice Powell Elementary School," said Dyer County School Superintendent Dr. Dwight Hedge. "They work hard on a daily basis to provide an outstanding education to all learners."

Beth Dycus' fourth-grade class learned about life cycles with Mexican jumping beans. The students would warm up the beans by holding them tightly in their hands or by blowing warm air on them, which causes the larvae inside the bean to jump.

Seratt said she didn't get a phone call, but found out they had won on the Internet. After she heard the news she was ecstatic.

"It's just a wonderful recognition for all of the hard work we have done," said Seratt. "I'm just thrilled about it. I've never won a national award before."

One of the first-graders at Holice Powell asked her teacher when were they going to get "their" blue ribbon. The teacher told Seratt about it and she thought it was a neat idea.

Holice Powell Elementary School Principal Alice Seratt (left) shows off her congratulatory letter from the United States Department of Education. She will be taking second-grade teacher Monica Robbins (right) with her to Washington D.C. to receive the Blue Ribbon plaque and flag. [Click to enlarge]

"I got to thinking about that and I thought 'they need a blue ribbon'," said Seratt. "So I'm going to order them some blue ribbons."

Seratt has already received an official congratulatory letter from both the director and the secretary of the United States Department of Education.

Three hundred and fourteen public and private schools, less than a half of 1 percent of the approximately 100,000 schools, will be honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 2 and 3. Two people from each school, the principal and a teacher, are invited to the ceremony. Each school will receive a plaque and a flag to signify their Blue Ribbon School status.

Seratt will be taking second-grade teacher Monica Robbins with her on the trip. Seratt said she couldn't just pick one teacher to accompany her so they had a drawing and Robbins won. Seratt said Robbins is probably almost as excited as she is about the trip.

Dyersburg High School also received the award approximately 15 years ago.