Title: Exceptional Elementary Schools | Parents
Headings: 
Honor-Roll Schools
BROAD ACRES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Silver Spring, Maryland
SONORA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Springdale, Arkansas
More Honor-Roll Schools
TALBOT HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Renton, Washington
FOREST LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Columbia, South Carolina
PINE JOG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
West Palm Beach, Florida
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K. W. BARRETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Arlington, Virginia
ODYSSEY CHARTER SCHOOL
Wilmington, Delaware
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JOHN MUIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Berkeley, California
MATH AND SCIENCE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
Denver, Colorado
MUNFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Munford, Alabama

Content: Each trailblazer took a different approach to excellence, but all have buzz-worthy ideas that could make your kid's school everything you've longed for it to be. Take notes! BROAD ACRES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Silver Spring, Maryland
K-5 630 students
Just a decade ago, less than 15 percent of third-graders at Broad Acres passed state reading and math tests. " The traditional approach to education wasn't working because nearly all our students live in poverty and families were constantly moving in and out of our area," says Michael Bayewitz, who was principal from 2007 to last August. To improve learning, the school focused on taking care of the problems outside its walls. Staff worked with the local government to open a school health clinic so sick kids would get the care they need and return to the classroom faster. Volunteers sought out donations of food and clothing so kids were nourished and warm. And teachers even made home visits to meet with parents, since many don't have a phone. " It sent the message to parents, many of whom were uncomfortable at first about participating in school activities, that we are invested in their children and we care about their success," says Bayewitz. Inside the classroom, teachers committed to staying late once a week for group meetings to brainstorm ways to help struggling students, eventually developing interventions for every subject and grade level.