Blanchard Elementary gets high marks

Education can be a silver bullet, lifting people out of poverty and improving their quality of life.

Leaders at Blanchard Elementary School in Cape Girardeau have taken aim at one particular aspect of educating young people, and the results show their efforts are hitting their target.

A Saint Louis University study ranked Blanchard as one of the state's schools beating the odds by achieving high student learning growth in a district with a high rate of low-income households.

How are they doing it?

According to principal Barbara Kohlfeld, there is one key.

"We really strive for reading above grade level and spend most of our time, personnel and resources on being really great readers," she explained.

The university study ranked Blanchard at the top of the list for English Language arts learning.

The focus on reading proficiency makes sense for school districts in low-income areas.

Research pulled together by the American Psychological Association -- "Education and Socioeconomic Status" -- assesses the relationship between educational outcomes and students from low-income families. One of the findings deals with a literacy gap for those students. "Children from low-[Socioeconomic Status] families are less likely to have experiences that encourage the development of fundamental skills of reading acquisition ...," the article states.

Blanchard has a history of success, having been named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2015, and that success has come, at least in part, because of the uplifting attitude Kohlfeld and others have fostered.

"It's all about making students feel loved and successful. We want our kids to be happy. We want them to love school and feel safe," the principal said.

It's working.