ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The staff and students at Prairie View Elementary School have been hard at work this year and recently, the school was recognized for that work.
Last week, Prairie View Elementary School was named one of 100 schools in the state of Kansas named as a Challenge Award recipient. The Challenge Awards recognize schools for outstanding achievement and uncommon accomplishments of students based on the Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) results in math and reading, especially those students of an ethnic minority group and who qualify for free and reduced-price meals, according to a release from the State of Kansas. The graduation rates when calculating high school results and chronic absenteeism rates for middle and high schools are also included in the award criteria.
Prairie View Elementary School Principal Kendra Haskell said she was excited to receive the news late last week.
“We were notified Friday by the USD 480 Central Office about Prairie View Elementary School earning the Challenge Award from the State of Kansas, and I was immediately hopping up and down in my office from excitement and happiness,” Haskell said. “After that I knew we had to do something extra special since we'd set that goal to improve on our state test scores for the students, and they really worked hard and surpassed that goal. I worked with my assistant principal, Larry Moore, and our instructional coach, Olivia Flores, to plan a surprise assembly for the students, and we had our celebration Monday afternoon. Originally, we wanted to keep it a secret from everyone until the assembly Monday since it was such big news, but it somehow got leaked out over the weekend among the staff, so a lot of my staff already knew what was going on, but everyone was still really excited and happy about what had happened. The students and staff have worked so, so hard to earn this recognition, so everyone was just really happy.”
The students’ response to the news was nothing short of electric, Haskell said.
“At the end of the 2023-24 school year, we set a goal to meet or exceed our state test scores, and we all worked with the students really hard to make that happen. The students keep their own data and keep track of every test they take throughout the year, they write down goals and what they want to work on, so it's really the students leading the way in their learning. They knew what they wanted to do and what they were working toward, and we exceeded that,” Haskell said. “Our gym Monday was filled with the students' energy, everyone could feel it. The students were so, so excited about getting the award and recognition. When we met the goal in the fall after our very first assembly in September ... I'd told the students at the end of the last school year if they met the goal, they'd get to pie me in the face, but that was a lottery choice of one boy and one girl. But this recognition was such a big deal, and the students did such an awesome job, I wanted to give those students a chance to pie me in the face because they really did earn it, and big time.”
Haskell said she is proud of such a recognition coming to USD 480.
“We're super proud of our hard work at Prairie View Elementary School and having it recognized. Our teachers really go above and beyond, and our students also put forth so much time and effort, and it really shows,” Haskell said. “To be able to help highlight what we're doing not only at Prairie View, but also USD 480, on a daily basis, that's amazing. It's great being able to show the people in charge at the state level what our students are capable of in Southwest Kansas.”
However, Haskell said, there is no slowing down yet.
“Next year's award will be based on this year's state assessment results. We've already set our goals for this year, which the students are working on – they already took the reading assessment and will be taking the math assessment starting this week and the science assessment next week, so this assembly was the perfect motivation for them to work hard and keep that momentum going,” Haskell said. “We're right in the middle of everything, so I'll be reminding the students every morning during morning announcements to keep working hard and work toward meeting/exceeding those goals so we can celebrate again. Now that we've gotten this recognition, we'd love to keep up that momentum and keep being recognized for this every year and keep better. Our goal every year is to keep learning better and keep growing and celebrating all of our successes along the way.”
Haskell said there is also plenty to look forward to for the remaining weeks of the 2024-25 school year.
“We'll be wrapping up our state assessments in the coming weeks, and then we'll have our big annual cultural fiesta, and we'll highlight a bunch of different dances from Spanish-speaking countries. That will be May 7 at Seymour Rogers Middle School, and it should be a great time,” Haskell said. “After that, we'll have our end-of-year assembly, and all of our students will have the chance to be recognized for their accomplishments – if they reach their goals with the reading and math assessments, they get a certificate and get recognized for their hard work. Our year will then end with our annual talent show and Field Day, so we'll definitely be keeping busy in the coming weeks.”
Overall, Haskell said, she could not be prouder of her staff and students.
“This recognition is a testament to the hard work put forth by our students and staff and our students' families, so they deserve everything possible for helping make this recognition happen for Prairie View Elementary School,” Haskell said.
