District Celebrates 5th Consecutive Distinction Award

Above: Dr. Angie Besendorfer, Assistant Superintendent,
gives a celebratory high-five to McKinley Elementary Principal
Jennifer Doshier in honor of the district earning its fifth consecutive
Distinction in Performance award.

In honor of the Joplin School District earning its fifth consecutive Distinction in Performance award from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, district administrators spent Thursday, December 11th, personally delivering congratulatory high-fives and gifts – stainless steel eagle mugs – to every teacher and support staff member throughout the district.

“This is no small accomplishment,” says Joplin Superintendent, Dr. C.J. Huff. “There are very few Missouri districts our size that can say they have been Accredited with Distinction for five consecutive years. This is a tribute to the leadership of our Board of Education and the hard work and dedication of our educators.”

Missouri school districts must meet at least 13 of 14 student performance standards on their Annual Performance Report (APR) to receive the annual Distinction in Performance award. A district’s APR is based on the same criteria used in the accreditation process and displays whether or not a school district has met standards related to student academic performance. These include MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) test scores, ACT college entrance exam scores, attendance rate, graduation rate, the number of graduates continuing to college, and other academic performance measures. Joplin has received the Distinction in Performance award each year since 2004.

View more high-five photos here!

posted 12/11/08