[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 14 (Wednesday, February 8, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S860-S861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION


            loring community school, minneapolis, minnesota

 Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Loring 
Community School, in Minneapolis, MN, which recently earned an Award 
for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative 
achievements in educating children.
  Loring Community School is truly a model of educational success. This 
neighborhood elementary school, which educates children in kindergarten 
through fifth grade, is named for the distinguished Charles M. Loring, 
father of the Minneapolis Park System and first president of the Park 
Board.
  Loring Community School prepares children for lifelong learning in a 
respectful environment that nurtures their growth into knowledgeable, 
skilled, responsible, and confident citizens capable of succeeding 
personally as well as professionally. The school is 45 percent African 
American, 29 percent white, and 22 percent Asian. Seventy-two percent 
of the children are from low-income families.
  The school's success is firmly rooted in basic community values. Each 
child is treated like an important person, in the classroom and in the 
school, which sets high standards and expectations for all children, in 
order to foster growth academically, socially, and personally. Loring 
School also emphasizes the importance of family involvement, to 
encourage the educational success of their children.
  Loring School goes well beyond the basics, offering a number of 
enrichment programs, including accelerated math and reading programs, a 
Math Master competition, a science fair, an art fair, band, and a fifth 
grade environmental camping experience. A special feature is the 
student-run radio station, KBEM Radio. All Loring pupils have 
opportunities to participate in dance, music, theater, and visual art 
enrichment programs.
  Much of the credit for Loring School's success belongs to its 
principal, Jane Thompson, and her dedicated teachers. The children and 
staff at Loring School understand that, in order to be successful, a 
school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide 
a nurturing environment where students develop the knowledge, skills, 
and attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, 
and students at Loring School should be very proud of their 
accomplishments.
  I congratulate Loring Community School in Minneapolis, MN, for 
winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional 
contributions to education in Minnesota.


            HERMANTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HERMANTOWN, MINNESOTA

 Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Hermantown 
Public Schools, in Hermantown, MN, which recently earned an Award for 
Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements 
in educating children.
  The Hermantown Public School District is truly a model of educational 
success. Mr. Brad Johnson, superintendent of Hermantown Public Schools, 
was hired last summer to lead the district. Upon his arrival in July, 
he was greatly impressed that the community demonstrated such strong 
support for education and such tremendous pride in its schools.
  The success of Hermantown Public Schools is evidenced by the large 
number of students from surrounding districts who have enrolled. The 
schools have a waiting list of additional families that would like to 
enroll. Further, 95 percent of the parents of students at Hermantown 
participate in parent-teacher conferences.
  Much of the credit for Hermantown Public Schools' success belongs to 
its superintendent, Brad Johnson, its principals, Lois Backscheider, 
Dave Radovich, and Dennis Nelson, and their dedicated teachers. The 
students and staff at Hermantown Public Schools understand that, in 
order to be successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic 
success; it must provide a nurturing environment where students can 
develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes for a lifetime of success. All 
of the faculty, staff, and students at Hermantown Public Schools should 
be very proud of their accomplishments.
  I congratulate Hermantown Public Schools in Hermantown, MN, for 
winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional 
contributions to education in Minnesota.


             bay view elementary school, proctor, minnesota

 Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Bay View 
Elementary School, in Proctor, MN, which recently earned an Award for 
Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements 
in educating children.
  Bay View Elementary School, a neighborhood school for 450 pupils in 
kindergarten through fifth grade, is truly a model of educational 
success.
  Earlier this year, in their campaign to raise money to construct a 
boardwalk through their school's greatly prized forest, Bay View pupils 
collected 2,000 box tops. With the proceeds from the box tops, they 
were able to purchase $200 worth of lumber for the boardwalk. When 
someone absconded with the lumber, however, the children were not 
foiled by the theft; instead, turning a challenge into an opportunity, 
Bay View fifth-graders staged a publicity event and held placards 
urging the thieves to return the ill-gotten lumber. Their skillful 
tactic, combined with newspaper stories describing how hard the 
students worked to raise the money, generated an outpouring of 
community support. Over $5,000 in contributions from citizens and 
corporations streamed in; not only that, but the lumber was returned.
  Bay View's school forest, which merited such avid initiative, truly 
offers an academic highlight, serving as an active, environmental 
learning laboratory for children in all grades. In January, I toured 
the forest and saw for myself its many opportunities for hands-on 
learning. Last summer, eight Bay View teachers used their own personal 
staff development days to take part in an Audubon Center training 
program, learning to integrate environmental education into their daily 
lessons.
  Two other notable features are Bay View's artist-in-residence program 
and its student-run television studio, which affords opportunities to 
learn live-television production skills through a local, public access 
television production and broadcast studio. Students' daily news 
broadcasts are televised in classrooms throughout the school.
  Much of the credit for Bay View Elementary School's success belongs 
to its Principal, Jon Larson, and his dedicated teachers. The children 
and staff at Bay View Elementary School understand that, in order to be 
successful, a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must 
also provide a nurturing environment where students develop the 
knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of 
the faculty, staff, and children at Bay View Elementary School should 
be very proud of their accomplishments.
  I congratulate Bay View Elementary School in Proctor, Minnesota, for 
winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional 
contributions to education in Minnesota.

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