Three Eunice elementary schools will be recognized at the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meeting Thursday for their success with at-risk students.

It is fairly common to hear that schools, where the majority of students come from low socio-economic families, tend to have low performance scoress.

However, this is not the case at Eunice Elementary, Glendale Elementary and East Elementary schools.

These schools recently received letters from State Superintendent of Education, Paul G. Pastorek, congratulating them on being named High Performing/High Poverty Schools.

A (HPHP) school is one that has a baseline SPS (School Performance Score) > 100 for the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 years with no current “School in Decline” label and has a free or reduced lunch percent of > 65.

Principals Mary Ellen Donatto of East Elementary and Irma Trosclair of Eunice Elementary attribute their schools’ success to:

*High expectations for student performance

*Skilled dedicated staff members

*High expectations for student behavior

They agreed that all their students are expected to perform regardless of their background.

“All students, regardless of any aspect of their backgrounds, are expected to perform.”

East and Eunice Elementary principals do not buy into the idea that students must come from wealthy backgrounds in order to succeed academically.

Staff members accept no excuses for students not performing to their fullest potential.

Some children are at a disadvantage when they begin school.

Donatto and Trosclair said, “Very often, children who come from low socio-economic households are at a disadvantage when they begin school.

“They may at that point perform at a lower level than other children. However, students entering school at a lower readiness level are identified through early diagnostic testing and efforts are made through remediation and intervention to close the performance gap.”

Discipline plays a very important role in performance. Donatto and Trosclair said, “Students cannot be taught nor can they learn in unstructured, unsettled settings.

East and Eunice Elementary share the same discipline plan created by its two principals.

This plan calls for consequences for unacceptable behavior and rewards for positive behavior.

At Glendale, Administrative Assistant Laura Lombas was thrilled with the distinctive honor.

Lombas said, “We work as a team and strive for excellence. We have high expectations of our students. Many of our students identify their school as a second home.

“For many children the school day provides structure, discipline, and stability in their lives. Having high expectations of our students and providing a stable, structured environment in the key to success.

“We also keep our faculty and staff trained in the latest methods of instruction and curriculum.

In addition to being recognized at Thursday’s BESE meeting, the principals to a state celebration on June 5.