[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 132 (Tuesday, December 5, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S11183]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     MISSISSIPPI HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SAUK RAPIDS, MINNESOTA

 Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor Mississippi Heights 
Elementary School, in Sauk Rapids, MN, which will soon earn an Award 
for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative 
achievements in educating children.
  Mississippi Heights Elementary School is truly a model of educational 
success. The school begins each school day by welcoming all staff and 
pupils in the gym with a unique ``Lift Off'' program, which is led by 
the children and is designed to recognize birthdays, make 
announcements, and strengthen the school's strong sense of community. 
Another special characteristic of Lift Off is its buddy system, which 
matches each child in the primary classes with a buddy from the 
intermediate classes to act as a mentor. The buddies sit together at 
Lift Off and read to each other before the program begins.
  Mississippi Heights is dedicated to a successful literacy initiative, 
whose goals are: implementation of a balanced literacy program that 
will include independent shared, guided reading, writing, and read-
alouds throughout the day; students' demonstration of individual 
improvement in reading levels; reading and writing throughout the day 
which aims toward raising RIGBY and Guided Reading levels for each 
student; and daily reading aloud by teachers, with 5,000 read-aloud 
books as a building goal.
  Teachers at Mississippi Heights have made reading and writing a top 
priority, and it shows in their enthusiasm and passion in the 
classroom. The students' reading and writing scores have improved: More 
than 30 percent of the students scored in the top level of the 
Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment in 2006, and the school earned four 
stars from the Minnesota Department of Education in reading this year.
  Much of the credit for Mississippi Heights Elementary School's 
success belongs to its principal, Jean Clark, and the dedicated 
teachers. The children and staff at Mississippi Heights 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 children can develop the knowledge, skills, and 
attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and 
pupils at Mississippi Heights Elementary School should be very proud of 
their accomplishments.
  I congratulate Mississippi Heights Elementary School in Sauk Rapids 
for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its 
exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

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