ABC Today program celebrates newest success at Jefferson Elementary

For students at Jefferson Elementary School, congratulations were given Wednesday as about 140 students celebrated their success in the ABC Today program.

The program was put in place last year by the ABC Today Network, a partnership of the school district and other community organizations.

Data are tracked quarterly in attendance, behavior and classroom performance (reading and math). Students succeeding in all four areas are deemed green; those succeeding in three are yellow; and zero to two are red.

Wednesday's fete was an ice cream social, complete with a live performance by the band from La Croix Church.

Jefferson's enrollment is just under 300 students in grades kindergarten through four, principal Krista Turner said. This past quarter, 49 percent of students were green; 29 percent yellow and 23 percent were red. When the program started in the 2013-2014 school year, 34 percent of students were green, with 35 percent red and 30 percent yellow.

Students must miss fewer than 10 days of school, total five or fewer discipline referrals and earn a C or better in reading and math.

Turner was pleased with the numbers and said she hopes the numbers continue to rise.

"That is the goal. ... You want the children to be successful in all of the areas," Turner said.

Beggs said it showed all the hard work at Jefferson has paid off.

"I think ... 49 of children being celebrated is tremendous. There [are] lots of efforts going on in the school. They're working really hard to get children on track and make sure that they stay there, along with all the community partners," Beggs said.

She added the network will watch the data and hope to see that green percentage rise.

"We're hopeful that it holds and that throughout the year we can do the very best job for the children at Jefferson," Beggs said.

At the end of each quarter, the network has a chance to celebrate students who are achieving and improving, but at the same time, try to figure out why some children are not doing as well and offer interventions for trouble areas, Beggs said.

The ABC School Network is a partnership of the school district and other community organizations to have an effect at a particular school. Those organizations include the Cape Girardeau School District, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri, the Cape Girardeau Police Department resource officer, United Way of Southeast Missouri, Read to Succeed, Boys and Girls Club, Bank of Missouri, La Croix Church and Jefferson Elementary staff members.

The network also has helped support the school during the year by providing volunteers to help with activities or celebrations. Child care, for example, was provided for parent-teacher conferences in the previous school year.

"We are very blessed to have them in our building," Turner said during a visit with the Southeast Missourian Editorial Board.

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Showing improvement

The ABC Index for the 2013-14 school year showed:

• Quarter 1: 34 percent green; 30 percent yellow; and 35 percent red.
• Quarter 2: 38 percent green; 33 percent yellow; and 29 percent red.
• Quarter 3: 45 percent green; 30 percent yellow; 25 percent red.
• Quarter 4: 45 percent green; 30 percent yellow; 25 percent red.