Two Wyoming schools honored as "Blue Ribbon Schools" by the U.S. Department of Education will celebrate their awards today with visits by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Trent Blankenship and local legislators.

Westside Elementary School in Powell and Pinedale Middle School were chosen for the award by the U.S. Department of Education this fall.

Rep. Alan Jones and Sen. Hank Coe will visit Westside, while Rep. Monte Olsen and Senator-Elect Pat Aullman will visit Pinedale, according to Tim Lockwood, the Wyoming Department of Education's public information officer.

The Blue Ribbon program requires schools to meet one of two criteria: They must either score in the top 10 percent on statewide tests, or a high percentage of students from disadvantaged backgrounds must improve their test scores.

Westside Elementary

Westside Elementary's WyCAS math scores went from 29th in the state three years ago to first in the state this year, according to Principal Brent Walker. He credits much of the success to a program the school implemented three years ago called "flexible action grouping."

It's a big term with a simple premise - each day students move into small groups of eight or 10, each led by a teacher. For 30 minutes in the morning, they focus on math. In the afternoon, they spend 30 minutes on reading.

"We use technology to assess the kids, so we know what the kids know," Walker explained. "This 30 minutes of direct instruction is to teach the kids what they don't know."

Those in groups that do not need remedial help are able to complete enrichment activities during their small-group time.

"It sounds easy, and it is, really," he said. "But it's been a real change. We're using time differently. Instead of the kids just sitting down in whole group instruction, we just switched everything, and we've made some huge gains."

It also allows teachers to do a lot more individualized instruction, he added.

Westside's achievement is made all the greater considering roughly 43 percent of the school's 220 students come from low-income households.

Pinedale Middle School

Pinedale Middle School's staff several years ago staff decided to focus on math, and it's starting to show in student test scores.

In 2000, 39 percent of eighth-graders scored proficient or above in WyCAS math scores. Last year, 56 percent of eighth-graders scored at that level.

The school doesn't have a "magic program," according to Principal Mike Vassallo. But time is of the essence, he said - instructional time, that is.

"We provide for additional time in our school day for reading and mathematics," he said, explaining that eighth-graders who score below a certain level on math tests are required to take an additional half-year of math. That means some kids are taking two math classes a day.

"Time is one of those important pieces in effective schools. We know that learning is a function of time, it's one of the variables," Vassallo said. "Some students take more time, so we've allocated more time in our day for reading and math."

Wyoming was one of 38 states to have a public school chosen as a Blue Ribbon School.

Education reporter Andrea Falkenhagen can be reached at (307) 266-0633 or at andrea.falkenhagen@casperstartribune.net.