[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11920]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZES THE ACADEMY AT THE FARM SCHOOL FOR EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS

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                         HON. GINNY BROWN-WAITE

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 9, 2007

  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
recognize the Academy at the Farm School, a Pasco County, Florida 
charter school that is being recognized for academic achievement at the 
National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The Center for Education Reform 
has selected the School as an Exemplary Charter School for the past 
year. The Academy at the Farm School is one of six from Florida, 53 
nationwide, and was chosen from over 4 thousand eligible charter 
schools.
  Founded in 2002 as an inclusion school for exceptional student 
education students, the School is designed to place these gifted 
students in a regular classroom setting. In addition to its focus on 
academic success, the School also focuses on learning about the 
environment.
  One of the most successful institutions in Florida, the School has a 
grade of A and has met 100 percent of the criteria required for 
adequate yearly progress. Additionally, it was one of only four schools 
in Pasco County to have achieved adequate yearly progress. With a 
student to faculty ratio of only six to one, there is a strong focus on 
individual teaching and learning. All the teachers at the School are 
certified, with 30 percent of them having advanced degrees and a total 
of over 225 years experience.
  The Academy received a letter from former Florida Governor Jeb Bush 
recognizing the fourth graders as one of the top 100 elementary schools 
in the State for improvements in writing. They also received a letter 
from Governor Bush for being named one of the top 50 combination 
schools in the State that made the most year-to-year progress.
  As is the case with many successful educational institutions, the 
Academy at the Farm School is headed up by strong leaders and 
administrators. Dr. Michael Rom, the School Administrator, is the 
former Provost at Pasco Hernando Community College and is highly 
respected in the education and professional world. He and the seven 
teachers attending the event in Washington were original staff members 
of the Academy and have continued their commitment to Pasco County 
children and families.
  Madam Speaker, educational leaders like Dr. Rom and the teachers at 
the Academy at the Farm School should be recognized for their 
outstanding accomplishments. Their record of success has proven them 
worthy of being named an Exemplary Charter School by the Center for 
Education Reform. I congratulate them on the award and know that they 
will continue to focus on educational achievement into the future.

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