Although she is a frequent guest on Algonkian Elementary’s televised morning announcements, Principal Heidi Latham isn’t the star of the broadcast – one of her students is. Fifth graders control all aspects of the televised production, from writing cue cards and operating the cameras to anchoring the show.

“There is even someone who does the weather,” Latham said.

Members of the technology task force also take photos at school events. The photos become part of a giant collage in the front hallway, and many of them end up in the yearbook at the end of the year.

Technology is emphasized heavily as part of the curriculum at Algonkian. Every classroom has four computers and there is a Smart Board multimedia projector in the computer lab. Several student podcasts are available on the school’s Web site.

Like all schools in Loudoun County, Algonkian Elementary is working to close the achievement gap. Data from the 2005-2006 school year detailed in the school improvement plan indicate the gap on the reading SOL is 36 between black and white students and 30 between Hispanic and white students. Ninety percent of white students in grades three through five passed the reading SOL test, whereas 54 percent of black students and 60 percent of Hispanic students passed. Thirty-nine percent of economically disadvantaged students passed, compared to 87 percent of non-economically disadvantaged students. The achievement gap between these two groups is 48.

To help prepare them for middle school, fourth- and fifth-grade students switch classes each year. One teacher instructs the students in math and science and another in social studies and writing.

“Every staff member at this school gets to know every student and I don’t think any child is ever going to fall through the cracks,” Latham said.

Teachers use the Steps to Literacy Program to teach reading and also perform individual diagnostic reading assessments to make sure students are at the appropriate level of reading instruction. The Steps to Literacy Program also is integrated with the ESL program so that ESL students learn the same reading strategies as they would in a regular classroom.

Each month, Latham and the parent liaison conducts monthly visits with parents at their homes.

“I try to visit homes of parents who are new to our school to see how the transition is going,” she said. The parent liaison does a lot of communication with families as well, she said.