“This award is truly the product of collaboration and dedication of all our staff members and students. At Belmont, we strive to provide students with a positive and structured learning environment where students can experience academic, behavioral and social success. Our goal is to provide students with skills that will have a life-long impact,” said Kim Rosenthal, Principal of Belmont Elementary School.
The award was presented by Beth Doll, PhD, interim dean and professor at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, at an event held on May 14 in Lincoln, Nebraska. At the award ceremony, she noted that it was not any sole feature that attracted the award review committee but their collective practices including the Professional Learning Communities’ review of student data, the use of bench marking to follow up with students not yet proficient, ensuring that every grade level has a homework club after school, using the Second Steps curriculum with all students, and then using Check in/out strategies for those who are still struggling and providing a warm, welcoming and safe environment that leaves students eager to come to school.
“We have a saying at Belmont. We say it every day. ‘The harder you work, the better you get,’” Rosenthal said. “And we live by that here”.
The Lincoln Journal Star published a feature article on the elementary school's award titled Having 'grit' helps Belmont Elementary students on state tests; proficiency drops in high schoolsopens in new window.
