Three Rivers Elementary School has been recognized by the National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA) as part of its 2009 Just for the Kids Campaign for Higher Performing Schools in Texas.

NCEA recognized Three Rivers Elementary based on the indicators listed for science. Tim Jambers, the fifth-grade science teacher at TRES, along with science consultant Dianne Jurica, established a science curriculum in which students are accountable and successful.

“The curriculum addresses all the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills as set forth by the state. We attempt to follow the philosophy of the Chinese proverb, if the student hears it they will forget, if they see you model it they will remember, but if they do it themselves they will understand,” Jambers stated.

“The students were very diligent and their efforts resulted in 100% passing the TAKS test, and 60% of the students achieved commended performance.”

Jambers will be attending a NCEA Symposium and Just for the Kids Awards Event on Jan. 19 in Austin. The events will include panels of leading superintendents and principals of Higher Performing Schools. Each event will provide a unique opportunity to learn more about NCEA’s research and resources to assist schools and school systems as they develop student learning goals that define the path to readiness for and skilled careers.

NCEA used two measures to determine which schools would be granted the honor: growth and college and career readiness (CCR). Schools recognized for growth achieved better improvement rates for their students compared with other schools with similar demographics. Schools recognized for CCR are the top five percent of schools in the state, based on the percentage of students scoring at or above NCEA’s College and Career Readiness Targets.