Second Place, Middle Division, Elementary Schools
Raymond Council, Principal
501 East Cumberland Street
Cowan, TN 37318
Franklin County Schools
Website here
Recipe For Success:
The formula for success has been presented to schools for many years. There is nothing secret about the things a school needs to do to be successful. The challenge is getting all the stakeholders involved in the process to make it happen. At Cowan Elementary School we have made this happen.
First, we are organized as a school through our Leadership Council made up of parents, teachers, teacher assistants, and community leaders. All decisions concerning our school take place through this body that meets on a monthly basis. Our goals and aspirations are discussed freely with the goal of seeking solutions. This leadership team is extended on a county-wide basis with other Title I Schools where we seek to spend our county funds most effectively.
Secondly, we have a plan (TSSIP) that is not a nicely covered book, but a plan that dictates how we intend to reach our goals. Several years ago we put reading as our first priority. Our goal was that every child (100%) would be reading proficiently by the third grade. On our last TCAP assessment we had 100% proficiently rates in grades three and five with only one child not meeting this goal in grade four.
Thirdly, we use our resources most effectively to reach your goals. All our Title I personnel are focused in grades K-2 to provide a solid start to ensure that our students are reading on grade level. Many schools have visited wanting to know about our “program”. I tell them there are many valid reading programs, and I’m not just promoting ours. I share with them that the key is having all stakeholders share your goals and then provide the resources to achieve your goals.
Finally, we joined together with two other elementary schools to provide our teachers with in-service opportunities that meet the needs of our teachers. We have very few outside resources come in to train our faculties. We use our own teachers, and they share their expertise.
This is not a complete listing of all we do at Cowan Elementary School in our quest for excellence. In summary, our “Recipe for Success” is the inclusion of all stakeholders in our vision and mission for making our school the very best it can be.