by Bob Moore, SLFP.com

- Five years ago, Pierre Laclede Elementary School, located at 5821 Kennerly Avenue in North St. Louis, instituted a unique incentive program to encourage students to have perfect attendance.

The "Be There" bike program, introduced by Joyce Roberts, principal from 1993 - 2003, has been so successfull that it has also provided students with an opportunity to maintain a top level of academic achievement.

Current principal Yolanda Moss stated that "We believe if the children are here, then they have the ability to take advantage of the resources we provide for them to learn. So to combat them being at home, we instituted this program to get them here so we can meet their academic needs."

"The bike program helps promote attendance and with that the teachers are able to concentrate on specific academic areas," continued Moss. "We have 236 students and nost of our children are in the top two levels of the MAP 4 and 5."

On September 15, Laclede Elementary was honored with the "No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools" award by the U.S. Department of Education in recognition of their efforts to raise student achievement. Laclede Elementary is among the 219 outstanding schools to receive the national award.


Pierre Laclede Elementary School received national recognition as a "No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon School" by the U.S. Department of Education.

The special presentation was attended by Ron Tomalis, chief of staff to the Undersecretary of Education, Jim Talent, U.S. Senator, Jeffrey L. Boyd, Alderman 22nd ward, a representative from U.S. Congressman William Lacy Clay's office and other government and school district officals.

In an interview with St. Louis Front Page, Tomalis said that "We are excited about the Blue Ribbon Schools program across the nation. One of the things that we recognize is the fact that there are different opportunities that children have all across this nation. The different types of school environments, whether it is suburban, urban or rural. There are 15,000 school districts with 40,000 to 50,000 different schools in this nation.

One thing that you notice in all of these schools is that there are select jewels, select schools where they are doing an outstanding job. One of the things that is very consistent in all of these schools is that you have a group of administrators, a group of teachers, and a group of community members who have believed that those children can learn."

"They will take no excuse that those children can't learn. They have put their heart and soul into that effort. What you see under the Blue Ribbon School program is recognition in many, many schools - public and private - across this nation that student achievement is taking place. Children are learning and doing a great job at it," said Tomalis.

Darnetta Clinkscale, president St. Louis School Board, stated that "This is just an exciting time. It is really great to celebrate the achievement of African-American children and I really meant what I said in my statement to the students. This is a model that can easily be used for all of our public schools. That is why we have the literacy coaches in place.

When asked in the great scheme of things will the board take a look at this and implement it in other schools, Clinkscale responded, "We already have."

"One of the things that the board created in the school system was a position called literacy coaches. It is from what was used at Laclede School in prior years. We took the concept and expanded it throughout the whole district so every school now has literacy coaches."

Clinkscale stated "This was before we knew that Laclede got the Blue Ribbon Schools award. We knew that what was going on at Laclede should be going on throughout the district."