Battelle for Kids recently presented 15 Ohio schools and 14 Ohio school districts with the 2012 SOAR Award for High Progress in one or more of the following three categories: School, District, and Most Improved. These annual awards are designed to acknowledge Ohio schools and districts participating in SOAR, Battelle for Kids’ school improvement collaborative, for their academic progress in multiple grade levels and subjects over the last school year (2011–2012).

 

The schools awarded for High Progress are among the top 15 schools out of 830 participating SOAR schools making exceptional growth with their students while the recipients of the Significant Progress District Award are among the top eight percent of districts out of 120 participating SOAR districts.

 

“It is an honor to recognize these 15 schools and 14 districts for their extraordinary progress with students,” said Jim Mahoney, executive director, Battelle for Kids. “The exceptional growth these educators have made with students is a testament to the hard work they’ve put forth to improve their schools and districts. The schools and districts receiving this award are to be applauded for their efforts to advance student learning.”
 
"We are very proud to have received two of this year's SOAR Awards," said Superintendent Dr. Todd Hoadley. "These outstanding achievements for both our District as a whole and our Intermediate School are a direct result of the dedication and commitment of each and every staff member in our District, the hard work of our students and the strong parternerships fostered between school and home."

Olmsted Falls City School District as a whole was recognized with the 2012 SOAR District Award for Significant Progress. District officials proudly accepted the award on behalf of all faculty and staff of Olmsted Falls Schools.  Pictured above (Front Row: L-R):  Superintendent Dr. Todd Hoadley, Olmsted Falls Board of Education President Mr. Jim Weisbarth, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jim Lloyd, and District Director of Food Service Denise Tabar; (Back Row: L-R): Acting State Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael Sawyers, Senior Vice President of Human Resources for the Battelle Memorial InstituteTom Snowberger, OFIS Principal Don Svec, and Olmsted Falls School District Treasuer Mark Hullman.



Olmsted Falls Intermediate School was proud to be among the top 15 schools and to be acknowledged with the 2012 SOAR Award for High Progress in Columbus earlier this month. Olmsted Falls Intermediate School Principal Mr. Don Svec accepted the award on behalf of his staff at the formal award presentation in Columbus. Pictured above (L to R) are Acting State Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael Sawyers, OFIS Principal Don Svec, and Senior Vice President of Human Resources for the Battelle Memorial InstituteTom Snowberger. A local celebration and recognition event was held also for faculty and staff of OFIS on November 28th.  To view more pictures from the OFIS celebration, please click HERE.

 

 

In 2002, Battelle for Kids launched SOAR—a statewide pilot to introduce value-added analysis to participating Ohio school districts and demonstrate how value-added information can improve teachers’ and schools’ impact on student learning. Over the past 10 years, as the demands for higher expectations and results have increased, SOAR expanded its scope of services to become a comprehensive school improvement collaborative, offering an array of services, professional development, and benefits to Ohio school districts.

 

Today, SOAR represents 120 Ohio school districts, approximately 30 percent of the state's students in grades 3–8. SOAR is one of the country’s largest value-added initiatives and is a centerpiece of successful education reform on behalf of students.

 

Battelle for Kids is a national, not-for-profit organization that provides strategic counsel and innovative solutions for today’s complex educational-improvement challenges. Our mission-driven team of education, technology, communications, and business professionals specializes in creating strategies that advance the development of human capital, the use of strategic measures, the implementation of effective practices, and communication with all stakeholders in schools. We partner with state departments of education, school districts, and education-focused organizations to advance these strategies with the shared goals of: improving teaching effectiveness and student progress; informing instructional practice in real time; recognizing and rewarding teaching excellence; and aligning goals and maximizing impact in schools. For more information, visit www.BattelleforKids.org.

 

A Closer Look–SOAR Awards Criteria