04/13/04 -- Twenty-three school districts from 15 states have been named winners of American School Board Journal's (ASBJ) Magna Awards 2004 program.
The Magna Awards, presented for the 10th year with the support of Sodexho School Services, recognize districts across the country for outstanding programs that advance student learning and encourage community involvement in schools.
ASBJ initiated the Magna Awards in 1995. The winners were honored at the ASBJ Luncheon for School Leaders March 29 during NSBA's Annual Conference.
The grand prize winner, Broward County Schools of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., receives $5,000 in scholarship money.
Two citation winners -- Cleveland (Tenn.) City Schools and Glasgow (Ky.) Independent School District -- receive $2,500 each in scholarship funds.
Broward County was honored for its "Game of the Week" broadcast, which is shown via streaming video on the Internet. The five to seven-minute broadcast attracts attention to the district's success stories and helps board members become more visible in the nation's fifth largest school system.
Cleveland City Schools was honored for its Information Technology Academy, which started in 2000 and now has 300 students.
The program provides students with the opportunity to master the skills needed to become information technology professionals. In return, the students help maintain more than 500 computers and oversee the high school's Web page.
Glasgow's Magna Award is for "Brain Business," a program that takes the latest brain-based learning research and applies it to instruction.
The program, which has led to achievement gains among the district's 1,900 students over the past five years, uses strategies based on research about how children's brains develop and how they learn best.
"For the past decade, the Magna Awards have showcased the bold and unusual steps that school districts take every day to meet changing community needs," says Marilee Rist, ASBJ's publisher and NSBA assistant executive director.
"This year's entries reflect the hard work of school boards, superintendents, and staff who continue to find creative ways to address the many challenges facing public education," Rist says.
"The 2004 Magna Award recipients are an excellent example of innovation and creativity in education," says Rod Bond, president of Sodexho School Services. "Sodexho is proud to partner with NSBA to recognize and applaud school boards that develop and implement groundbreaking methods to advance student learning."
An independent panel of school board members, administrators, and other educators selected this year's 23 winners and eight honorable mention recipients from almost 350 submissions.
• Broward County, Fla.* (grand prize winner) -- "Game of the Week."
• Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Chapel Hill, N.C.* -- "Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate."
• Cleveland, Tenn.* (citation winner) -- "Information Technology Academy."
• Delaware-Union Educational Service Center, Delaware, Ohio* -- "Ventures Academy."
• East Hampton, N.Y.* -- "The East Hampton Preschool Collaboration."
• Fort Worth, Texas* -- "Comprehensive Truancy Intervention Program."
• Gates County, N.C.* -- "Miss Sandra's Super Story Time."
• Glasgow, Ky. (citation winner) -- "Brain Business."
• Henrico County, Va.* -- "The Teaching and Learning Technology Initiative."
• Inter-Lakes School District, Meredith, N.H.* -- "CORE Group."
• Janesville, Wis. -- "Joint Legislature Committee."
• Kansas City, Kan. -- "First Things First Initiative."
• Kettle Moraine School District, Wales, Wis. -- "Kettle Moraine Writing Program."
• Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township, Indianapolis, Ind.* -- "Comprehensive Accountability Plan."
• Montgomery County, Va.* -- "Diversity Forum."
• Northgate School District, Pittsburgh, Pa. -- "Arts Odyssey."
• Owensboro, Ky.* -- "Fit for Life Partnership."
• Prince William County, Va.* -- "Food-Tasting Program."
• Pueblo, Colo.* -- "SAAVE Leadership Academy (Structure, Accountability, Advocacy, and Vision Equals Effective Leadership)."
• Ritenour School District, St. Louis, Mo.* -- "CASE: Community and Schools for Excellence."
• Rockland County Board for Cooperative Educational Services, West Nyack, N.Y. -- "Literacy and Career Skill Development for English Language Learners."
• Roslyn, N.Y.* -- "Community Service."
• Virginia Beach, Va.* -- "Help a Child Leap Through Life."
The following districts received honorable mention in this year's Magna Awards:
• Desert Sands Unified School District, La Quinta, Calif. -- "Student Assistance Program."
• Hacienda La Puente Unified, Hacienda Heights, Calif.* -- "SWING Volunteers (Seniors with Interest in New Generations)."
• Lemon Grove, Calif. -- "Education for Equity."
• New Albany-Plain Local Schools, New Albany, Ohio -- "New Albany Nature Preserve."
• Ocean View School District, Huntington Beach, Calif. -- "Oak View Families Learning Together."
• Piscataway, N.J.* -- "Improving Student Achievement: It's a Community Affair."
• Sweetwater Union High School District, Chula Vista, Calif. -- "Compact for Success."
• Virginia Beach, Va.* -- "The LEAD Program" (Lifelong Education through Advanced Degrees).
• National Affiliate districts