Ferndale

District, Roosevelt singled out for excellence

By Jeremy Selweski
C & G Staff Writer

FERNDALE — The 2010-11 school year has nearly come to an end, but Ferndale Public Schools is closing it out with a bang. The district as a whole recently earned national recognition for its top-notch music program, while Roosevelt Primary School took home a prestigious award for overall excellence.

Best Community for Music Education
On May 4, Ferndale schools was named a 2011 Best Community for Music Education by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation. The designation placed Ferndale schools among the top 100 school districts in the U.S. for music education, which includes five districts from the state of Michigan. In all, 172 districts and seven schools were recognized this year.

Elon Jamison, fine and performing arts coordinator for Ferndale schools, was thrilled to be formally recognized for a music program that has remained successful despite limited school funding for the arts.

“Basically, this is verification that what we already thought about ourselves is really true,” he said. “We are able to do some amazing things here even with very little money. Most other districts that won this award are much more affluent than ours. We are unique in that about 60 percent of our student body qualifies for Title I (funding).”

The NAMM Foundation acknowledges schools and districts across the nation annually for their commitment to and support of music education in the classroom. Ferndale schools submitted a survey demonstrating its excellent standards in a variety of areas, including budgetary commitment to music; opportunities to learn music; the presence of highly qualified, certified music teachers; adherence to state and national standards; the types of musical experiences offered; and opportunities for musical performance and competition.

Ferndale schools has a comprehensive music program that includes vocal music beginning in kindergarten; instrumental music beginning in fourth-grade; band, orchestra and choir programs for students in middle school and high school; and an award-winning marching band that has won the state championship six of the last seven years.

Jamison stressed that it has taken a real team effort for the district to achieve this level of success in music. “I think this award is very telling of the quality of the teachers that we have here,” he said. “We also have a very supportive School Board and school administration. And since this is a very artistically oriented community, a lot of our parents are involved in music, too. There are a good number of starving-artist personalities here, for sure, but there are also families with no involvement in music who believe that a complete education means an education in the arts.”

According to Jamison, the district has made every effort to create an environment in which hard work is expected and encouraged. Many students at Ferndale High School, for instance, are successful musicians and athletes in addition to doing well in the classroom. This approach falls under Jamison’s belief that schools should be producing “Renaissance men and women” who excel in a variety of areas.

“Contrary to popular belief, most kids want to do well and be successful,” he said. “And in our district, they are getting a great depth and breadth of experience. Kids want to get involved with different activities, especially our music program, because they know that they’re going to be pushed really hard to succeed.”

For more information on the Best Communities for Music Education, go to www.nammfoundation.org.

National School of Character
A week after Ferndale schools learned about its music award, the district received some more good news. On May 11, Roosevelt was named by the Character Education Partnership as one of its National Schools of Character for 2011. The K-3 facility was one of only 38 public schools across the country to receive the honor, including just four in the state of Michigan. Three charter schools, two private schools and one school district were also recognized by the CEP.

For Roosevelt Principal Dina Rocheleau, the selection served as confirmation that the school’s methods have been working and that all the hard work that her staff and students have put in has paid off.

“I’m so proud of everyone here at Roosevelt,” she said. “This shows that we are a true school family that sticks together and helps every student to succeed. We spend a lot of time focusing on how kids grow and develop and how that relates to academic success.”

Since 1998, the CEP has recognized schools for their outstanding character development of students through its National Schools of Character program. After receiving the award, NSOC schools serve as models and mentors, helping other educators transform their school culture and improve academics and behavior. The CEP will honor its 2011 winners at the National Forum on Character Education in San Francisco this October.

Rocheleau cited a number of programs at Roosevelt that make it stand out from the pack. For the school’s Big Brother program, varsity football players from Ferndale High School serve as mentors for Roosevelt students, visiting with them for one hour each week. “Each child receives some quality one-on-one time with a big brother,” Rocheleau said. “It’s a partnership that has worked out very well for us.”

Every morning, Roosevelt begins the day with its Brain Smart Start, which features quiet, calming music while teachers welcome each student to class with a special greeting tailored specifically to them. They then receive important information, such as the School Family News, the Brain Tip of the Day, the Daily Commitment and the Character Quote of the Week. The school also holds classroom meetings every day to help students resolve conflicts.

Rocheleau pointed out that in addition to creating a more harmonious school environment, this approach has yielded real academic progress: Since Roosevelt’s modern educational strategy was first implemented seven years ago, its MEAP scores have increased by about 45 percent.

“I think this shows that we’re a school that really brings out the best in everybody,” Rocheleau said. “It also sends a clear picture that if we don’t focus on social and emotional development, then academics will not excel. If students don’t feel safe or don’t feel good about themselves, learning will not take place.”

For more information about the CEP, the NSOC program or the National Forum, visit www.character.org.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Jeremy Selweski at jSelweski@candgnews.com or at (586)218-5004.