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Sidener Academy shines

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The gymnasium at Merle Sidener Academy for High Ability Students was filled with cheering students and faculty upon learning the school had won the prestigious distinction of being named a 2014 National Blue Ribbon School.

Sidener Academy is one of just nine schools in Indiana to earn the title of a National Blue Ribbon School.

Since 1982, The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has recognized educational institutions for overall academic achievement and efforts in closing achievement gaps among student groups. More than 7,500 schools have been recognized since the programā€™s instillation.

Recently, the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper was given an opportunity to chat with Sidener Academyā€™s Principal, Tennille Wallace about the schoolā€™s achievement, programs and enrollment process.

Recorder: How does it feel to be principal of a National Blue Ribbon School?

Wallace: Itā€™s awesome. The date of the announcement we had a big assembly in the gym with a live (Twitter) feed. We had all of our kids wear blue on that day, and had cupcakes for them. The second and third graders were so excited! They were screaming and cheering (laughs). It made me think, did they really understand what they were cheering for? But they had fun and enjoyed celebrating our success.

What was the application process like?

Very detailed. There were a lot of different sections to be completed. We sat down with a leadership team and assigned tasks. We glued it back together and proofread over and over before sending in the materials. We were given about a month to complete everything but our goal was two weeks to gather materials so the remaining time we could edit.

How confident were you after the materials were sent in?

They never tell you if you are or arenā€™t accepted along the way, because there are still state requirements you must meet. However, we did increase our testing scores from 99 percent to 100 percent this year so I felt pretty confident, but you still never know.

What is something you did differently within the past school year that may have helped you receive this recognition?

I donā€™t think we did anything differently, but one thing that makes us different from other schools is we are constantly looking to improve. When you get to 99.6 percent passing state testing (ISTEP), you seek improvements everywhere, not just one kidā€™s math score.

Explain your high achieving ISTEP scores.

We start out with an advantage of having the power to select high ability students, but one thing with high ability students is motivating them to perform. I think some students feel pressured but I donā€™t think itā€™s initiated by the school, but internally. In school we donā€™t talk about ISTEP nor do we prep for it. We simply teach and it manifests into positive outcomes.

What type of strategies do you use to help your students excel?

We have a one-to-one ratio of technology, including our iPads. One of the biggest things is differentiation. Trying to meet the needs of the kids no matter their academic level. If there is a kid in third grade but heā€™s ready for fifth grade math, we have a way of helping him excel.

Your students seem pretty diverse and although your location is in Indianapolis, you are still close to the suburbs. How do you accommodate all of your students?

When you get high ability kids together it is very interesting. Theyā€™re all used to being the top in their class where they come from, so when they come here they arenā€™t the top anymore because similar students surround them. This year we have a full time social worker on staff to help them adjust because a lot of anxiety can be involved. For our students that come from the social economic diverse areas, we establish a safe culture at school. We tell them, ā€œThere are things you see and experience at home that we donā€™t do here.ā€ For some of the kids itā€™s difficult to leave some things at home then come to school in a new environment. Sometimes the kids will mock me in the hallways saying ā€œwe donā€™t do that here.ā€ (Laughs)

Is enrollment in high demand and what is the process like for a parent to enroll their child in the academy?

This school year we made the enrollment process much easier. Now testing and qualifications can be done in our building. Parents are able to call to set up a testing date where students take a cognitive ability test and an achievement test. We have three or four grade levels that have waiting lists, but we also have one or two grade levels that are open. The waiting lists for lower grades such as second and third are lengthier than others.

The academy offers a unique variety of programs for students. How are they created and who runs them?

Two years ago the only after-school program we offered was karate, but now we have Junior First Lego for second and third grade, First Lego for fourth and fifth grade and robotics for sixth, seventh and eighth grade. We have chess, yoga, cheerleading, a sports program, academic pursuit and science fairs. Mostly teachers and parents facilitate them but some instructors are hired externally.

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