In recognition for demonstrating long-term commitment to the highest quality of education, students, educators and families at Colene Hoose Elementary have earned a 2008 Excellence Award for Exemplary Academic Performance on the llinois Learning Standards.

Of almost 1,000 schools recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education and Northern Illinois University for achievement Thursday, 20 are from the Pantagraph area.

The 2008 Illinois Honor roll schools were divided into three categories: Academic Excellence, for those that sustained high performance over at least three years; Academic Improvement, for those showing substantial gains over three years; and Academic Spotlight, for school with high-poverty rates and excellent performance.

“This list of schools is inspiring and significant,” said State Superintendent Christopher A. Koch.

Academic Excellence

Normal-based Unit 5 received the most Academic Excellence awards among Central Illinois districts. The five Unit 5 schools recognized are: Fox Creek and Northpoint elementary schools in Bloomington and Prairieland, Colene Hoose and Grove Elementary Schools in Normal.

“Schools being recognized are working hard to improve student learning,” said Unit 5 Superintendent Gary Niehaus.

Those Unit 5 schools were among 13 local schools and 388 across the state where 90 percent of the students met or exceeded standards on state tests scores over a three-year period ending 2008. Other Academic Excellence winners are: Tri-Valley elementary and middle schools, Downs; Meadowbrook Elementary School, Forrest; Goodfield Elementary School; Lexington elementary and junior high schools; and Tremont elementary and junior high schools.

Academic Improvement

Two area schools were among the 153 schools receiving Academic Improvement awards. They were Bloomington’s Irving Elementary School, which also was a spotlight school, and Tri-Valley High School, Downs.

All three Tri-Valley schools were on the state’s honor roll list.

“We’re very excited and will be rewarding the kids,” said middle school Principal Jill Lanier.

As for the secret to success, she said: “Everybody working as a team. Everybody’s on the same page.”

Academic Spotlight

This region also has six Academic Spotlight schools among the 499 “that are beating the odds to overcome the achievement gap,” according to the state report.

Bloomington District 87 previously announced its three schools — Bent, Irving and Sheridan elementary schools — on that list.

“I see this as a cooperative effort between families, teachers, the school and students — everybody working hard to make good things happen,” said Sheridan Principal Jim Cooper.

Also on the list were Northwest and Washington-Monroe elementary schools, both in Lincoln and Oakland Park Elementary School in Streator.

A complete list of the 2008 Illinois Honor Roll Schools is online at http://www.ilhonorroll.niu.edu/