Congratulations to the students and staff of Smithfield Elementary for being named a Capturing Kid’s Hearts National Showcase School for the fifth consecutive year.
Learn more at https://www.capturingkidshearts.org/national-showcase-schools
Smithfield Elementary School Named Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase School
Smithfield Elementary School has received a Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase SchoolsTM award for the 2017-18 school year from the Flippen Group.
Two years ago, Smithfield Elementary began an initiative to transform the campus into an emotionally safe and relationally connected place for students, staff, and parents to come alive with a love for learning.
After researching programs used by some of the nation’s most successful schools, Smithfield leaders chose to join hands with the Flippen Group to bring Capturing Kids’ HeartsⓇ to its campus. Teachers and staff learned processes to increase students’ connectedness with both peers and adults on campus. They learned how to create a classroom environment where students are excited to enter and learn every day.
Capturing Kids’ Hearts campuses across the country were considered for these awards based on the following criteria: 1) nomination based on observation, 2) level of implementation of Capturing Kids’ Hearts processes by all staff as measured by online surveys, and 3) data demonstrating that Capturing Kids’ Hearts has made a significant improvement in attendance, discipline, climate/culture, or academics.
The Flippen Group is proud to recognize these outstanding individuals who have dedicated themselves to making a difference in the lives of our children. As we identify these remarkable schools, campus leaders, and teachers each year, please join us in celebrating them as some of the most skilled and effective educators in the country!
Smithfield Elementary is Nominated for a Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase SchoolsTM Award
Smithfield Elementary has been nominated for a Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase SchoolsTM award for the 2017‒2018 school year by the Flippen Group. Two years ago, Smithfield’s administrators began an initiative to transform the campus into an emotionally safe and relationally connected place for students, staff, and parents to come together with a love for learning.
After researching programs used by many of the nation’s most successful schools, Smithfield chose to join hands with the Flippen Group to bring Capturing Kids’ Hearts® to its campus. Teachers and staff have continued to learn the processes needed to connect students with their peers and adults on campus and to create classrooms where students are excited to learn every day. As a result of implementing Capturing Kids’ Hearts, the school has experienced incredible results.
Over the next several months, a Flippen Group site team will visit Smithfield Elementary to observe the progress taking place and decide whether the campus qualifies to become a recipient of this year’s Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools awards.
Since 1990, campuses across the country have experienced amazing outcomes with Capturing Kids’ Hearts® tools and processes, creating the socio-emotional safety conducive to learning. Flippen Group provides educators the skills they need to change the trajectory of students’ lives. Openness replaces defensiveness. Judging and feelings of being judged are replaced with acceptance and real connectedness to the school. “Discipline problems nearly non-existent,” and “Academic achievement constantly improving,” are common feedback following Capturing Kids’ Hearts implementation.
Through the National Showcase Schools awards, Flippen Group seeks to recognize and celebrate schools that go the extra mile each day, building an environment where students and staff feel safe and connected. Flippen Group believes the unsung heroes who produce exemplary outcomes in schools and pave the way for other schools to follow need and deserve recognition for a job well done.
Capturing Kids’ Hearts campuses across the country are considered for this award based on the following criteria: 1) nomination based on observation, 2) level of implementation of Capturing Kids’ Hearts processes by all staff as measured by online surveys, and 3) data demonstrating that Capturing Kids’ Hearts has made a significant improvement in attendance, discipline, climate/culture, or academics.
Since the nomination period is now closed, Flippen Group teams will begin conducting site visits to nominated campuses to gather additional quantitative and qualitative data and interview students, teachers, administrators, and parents. They will compile a matrix of key measurements from the campus observation. Finally, they will conduct an additional survey to collect feedback regarding the perceived climate and culture of the campus and its conduciveness to learning. Following the site visit, the selection team will review all accumulated data and select the campuses to be this year’s recipients of the Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools awards.
The Flippen Group is proud to recognize the outstanding individuals who have dedicated themselves to making a difference in the lives of our children. As they identify these outstanding schools, campus leaders, and teachers each year, please join in celebrating some of the most skilled and effective educators in the country!
For more information about the Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools awards, contact:
Tanya Peterson
Flippen Group
Office Phone: 1-800-316-4311
Office Fax: 1-877-941-4700
The U.S. Department of Education recognized Smithfield Elementary as a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School on Nov. 7 in Washington, D.C.
On Thursday, September 28, 2017 U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recognized 342 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2017 based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. Smithfield Elementary, in Birdville ISD, was one of 18 elementary campuses in Texas that received this prestigious recognition.
National Blue Ribbon Schools demonstrate that all students can achieve at high levels. The Department will formally recognize the 292 public and 50 private schools at an awards ceremony at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, D.C. on November 6 and 7, 2017. The 2017 cohort represents public and non-public elementary, middle and high schools, including traditional, charter, magnet schools, parochial and independent schools in 44 states, the District of Colombia and Department of Defense Education Activity schools in Okinawa, Japan; Stuttgart, Germany; and West Point, New York.
The National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. The National Blue Ribbon Schools flag gracing a school’s building is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning. National Blue Ribbon Schools are an inspiration and a model for schools still striving for excellence. Now in its 35th year, the U.S. Department of Education has bestowed this coveted award on more than 8,500 schools.
The Theta Theta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society presented a $500 Grant Aid Scholarship to Pricilla Torres and Gerri Weiss, Smithfield Elementary educational assistants, to aid in furthering their education. #BISDShines
