Springfield Elementary Named 4-Star School by State Department of Education

spfld indian logo grayscaleThe district-wide improvements that have taken place at Michigan City Area Schools the last few years are now being noticed by the state of Indiana Department of Education, which included Springfield Elementary School on their list of “four-star schools” that was announced earlier this week.

Springfield Principal Lisa Emshwiller says this is the first time the school has earned the four-star distinction, and cited the “very strong partnership” the school has with parents and members of the community as the top reasons behind earning the distinction.

“We have an extremely strong curriculum and we do all we can to make this a wonderful place for children to come to school everyday,” Emshwiller said. “We are thrilled with this distinction, which is a testament to all the students, parents, staff and community working hard.”

Emshwiller, who is in her fifth year as principal at Springfield and has previously served as principal at Krueger Middle School and Michigan City Junior High, says the entire district is headed in the right direction and could easily see other elementary schools joining Springfield as four-star schools in the coming years.

“We have had great support from the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent and curriculum director - who have all been supportive of what we are doing and are leading the entire district in the right direction,” she said. “We will not be surprised to see other Michigan City elementary schools on this list next year.”

Michigan City Area Schools Superintendent Barbara Eason-Watkins applauded the school’s achievement, noting that Springfield has “worked hard to create an environment for student success.”

"This involves high expectations set by the principal, dedicated and highly skilled teachers and instructional staff, a strong intervention system to support struggling students, committed parents, and community support," she said.

Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz, who released a list of 311 Indiana four-star schools on Tuesday, said winning this award "required excellent work by teachers, administrators, students and parents throughout the year.”

This is the fifth year Springfield has been rated an ‘A’ school by the Department of Education, and is one of only two public schools in La Porte County to earn the dour-star distinction this year. But the school is “always looking for ways to improve,” Emshwiller said.

“We expect to continue developing our strong writing program and will not stop improving because we want 100 percent of our students to be successful, and we think they can be.”