Holbrook receives Distinguished School Award

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September 15, 2009 — Holbrook Elementary School received the Distinguished School Award at the 17th Annual Model Schools Conference in Atlanta, Ga., this summer. CFISD Board member Bob Covey commended Holbrook for this honor during the Board Comments portion of the regularly scheduled Board meeting on Monday, Sept. 14.

Holbrook was chosen from six Model Elementary Schools to receive this honor. The conference showcases several of the nation’s highest performing and rapidly improving schools.

Holbrook's passing rates on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) have increased by up to 33 percent in the last two years. The school has a diverse population—35 percent of the students are Limited English Proficient (LEP)—and the highest mobility rate in the district.

According to Holbrook principal Howard Diacon, a variety of factors contributed to the positive changes at the school:

• Relationships became a major focus, and data-driven decisions became the foundation for program development created to support struggling learners;

• A school-wide balanced literacy approach to reading and writing was implemented;

• A Building Better Relationships time block was put into place to help students develop interpersonal relationships with their teachers and one another, maximizing the time students were available for instruction and minimizing student time spent in Discipline Management Class (DMC); and
  

• Saturday camps that included core academic subjects were instituted to improve and enhance student skills.
  

“A culture of change was created by individuals who were focused, united and believed that the students of Holbrook could be successful,” Diacon said. “The Holbrook staff works diligently to provide an atmosphere of rigor, relevance and relationships to support its student body.”

For more information, please visit http://www.modelschoolsconference.com/.