A Utah principal is one of eight nationwide to win an award for helping her school overcome challenging circumstances.
Lenora Roundy, principal of Enoch Elementary School in the Iron School District, on Tuesday won the Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership from the U.S. Department of Education. The award, which is named for former U.S. Secretary of Education and Utahn Terrel Bell, is given to principals who have transformed their schools by setting high standards and expectations.
More than 40 percent of Enoch's students come from low-income families, yet the school shines on state tests, exceeding state averages in math and language arts.
Generally, students from low-income families perform worse on state tests than students from more affluent families. But Roundy said she doesn't believe such students have less potential.
"Really and truly, we just believe children can learn," Roundy said.
She said each child at her school has an individual academic plan, and the school has worked hard to implement strategies designed to help struggling students.
Roundy, who is in her seventh year as principal at the school, also credited No Child Left Behind with helping the school improve.
"Instead of looking at averages, we began to look at each child, which is a great blessing to us and to children," Roundy said. "No longer was an average good enough. If not every child succeeded it wasn't good enough."
Enoch Elementary also was named as a National Blue Ribbon School this year, along with two other Utah schools, Cleveland Elementary and Beacon Heights Elementary. Schools earn the Blue Ribbon award for academic superiority or by making dramatic gains in student achievement.
