Thrasher Elementary is one of six Hamilton County schools recently recognized by state officials as “rewards schools” for improvement on state exams and one of only two in the county recognized for overall achievement in conjunction with that.
The classification is part of Tennessee’s new accountability system replacing No Child Left Behind this year. The state bestowed the “rewards school” title on 169 of its 1,736 public schools, including Thrasher and magnet middle-high school Center for Creative Arts. The new title designates schools in the top 5 percent in overall annual improvement on state exams, with Thrasher and CCA also being part of the smaller subgroup that is also in the top 5 five percent of high-achieving schools in the state.
“Their goal is that we’ll be a model for other schools,” said Thrasher principal Aimee Randolph of the state’s intention in designating rewards schools. “[Officials] are looking at raising the expectations for the nation’s schools, and schools like Thrasher should be leading the way.”
She credits factors such as having students engaged in learning, teacher collaboration and innovation and support from parents and the community for the school’s success.
“We are very fortunate because for the most part, kids come to school ready to learn because they come from families who value education,” said Randolph of Thrasher, which has a history of high achievement.