Five Putnam schools receive Gold Star recognition for 2017

Thursday, September 7, 2017

INDIANAPOLIS – Five Putnam County schools -- including every building within the North Putnam School Corporation -- have been named Gold Star Schools by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE).

IDOE Thursday afternoon announced recipients of the 2017 Gold Star School Counseling Awards, including first-time designations for Bainbridge Elementary, Roachdale Elementary, North Putnam Middle School, North Putnam High School and South Putnam High School.

Both the North Putnam and South Putnam high school honors had been announced in the Banner Graphic back in June. On Thursday the state released the names of all 104 schools receiving the 2017 designation.

The Gold Star designation signifies the school counselor-led steering team has met specific criteria identified for the development of a comprehensive school counseling model, IDOE explained.

“Receiving the Gold Star designation is evidence of the collaboration it takes among educators and staff for students to be successful,” Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick said. “I want to recognize and commend these schools for understanding the tremendous impact school counselors and school and community members have in helping our students become fully prepared for life beyond high school.”

To qualify for both awards, the schools submitted an online portfolio with documentation that it meets the nine program standards found in Indiana’s Program Standards for School Counseling.

Additionally, NPHS counselors Lauren Alspaugh and Jesse Winger participated in training sessions during the school year, learning how to implement the Gold Star school counseling model. Students, teachers, parents and community members who serve on the local School Counseling Advisory Council also took part in the initiative. The group provided input and feedback as the Gold Star School Counseling initiative was being developed.

The North Putnam Middle School counselor is Alyssa Ward, while Dan McMurtry serves as counselor at Bainbridge Elementary and Jeanna Amos is the Roachdale counselor.

Meanwhile, members of the North Putnam Advisory Council included Alspaugh, Winger, Jason Chew, Alison Dobbs, Sharon Bone, Linda Merkel, Karen Nelson Heavin, Paula Fry, Dean Gambill, Lynn Scott and Molly King.

At South Putnam, counselors Kristin Hendrich, Brian Gardner and Heath Pruitt joined SPHS Principal Mike Schimpf, Matt Griswold and Zack Love, participated in training sessions during the school year and learned how to implement the Gold Star School Counseling model.

“I feel like we have one of the best groups of counselors around,” South Putnam Principal Schimpf told the Banner Graphic Thursday. “They do such tremendous work, I would hate to lose any of them.”

He called the Gold Star recognition “evidence of what we see them doing in our building every day.”

“It’s nice to get that recognition,” Schimpf added.

Created in 2004, the Gold Star designation has been awarded to nearly 300 Indiana elementary, middle and high schools.

To receive the award, schools undergo a rigorous process to raise student achievement and improve overall student success by creating local school-community advisory groups that review student data, set specific student goals and commit to maximizing the time and skills of the school counselor.

Of the total 104 schools receiving the 2017 designation, 22 renewed their Gold Star status.

The official award presentation will take place in November at the Indiana School Counselor Association fall conference.

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  • It would be nice to see Greencastle schools obtain this honor as well.

    -- Posted by Trying hard on Fri, Sep 8, 2017, at 6:56 AM
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