Stratford's Franklin School Wins Academic Award

Stratford now has two elementary schools recognized by the same award for gains in academic achievement.

The 5th annual Fairfield County Academic Gain Award went to Franklin Elementary School this year, it was announced at a ceremony Tuesday. Last year, Second Hill Lane took home top honors.

The keynote speaker at the ceremony was Jamie Palladino, the former principal of Second Hill Lane when that school won the award.

"The Fairfield Academic Gains Award provides recipients and nominees with the opportunity to reflect upon how far they have come, the steps they have taken to put children first and the efforts they have made to differentiate learning to meet students' needs, while encouraging focus on their continued work ahead," Palladino said in a statement.

All public schools in Fairfield County were considered for the award. Judging was based on the following criteria:

• Inspirational and Visionary Leadership
• Data Analysis and Collaborative Leadership
• Teacher Collaboration
• Flexible Targeted Grouping within Each Grade Level
• Accountability
• Self Assessments
• Continuity for Accelerated Progress
• Parent Involvement
• Community Partnerships

The Lone Pine Foundation, a Connecticut-based private foundation that seeks to use education to pick up children out of poverty, led the research into choosing a winner.

Top prize means every full-time employee at Franklin during the 2010-11 academic year will receive $500, and the school will get $1,000 to use however it pleases.

Do you know a teacher or staff member or have a child enrolled at Franklin Elementary? Share your story in the comments section below.