Pleasant Vale Elementary students received word Friday their school is a Great Expectations Model School for 2007-08.

“This award is to all of you — every single teacher, the administration, and you, the students,” said Pam Deering, a Great Expectations mentor who presented the award during a Rise and Shine assembly. “In order to receive it, you had to exemplify unity.”

Fewer than 60 Oklahoma schools received the Great Expectations Model School designation this year, Deering said, which is earned by implementing Great Expectations’ research-based educational practices.

Founded in 1991, the program represents an approach to learning that empowers teachers to expect and receive the best from students, rekindles excitement of discovery among students and teachers and pushes everyone involved to greater heights of achievement, program officials said.

The basic principles of the program are high expectations for students, a learning climate based on mutual respect between student and teacher, student self-esteem, a belief all students can learn, positive teacher attitude and highly skilled and knowledgeable teachers who inspire and enable students to achieve success.

Principal Larry Coonrod thanked students for being “the best students in Oklahoma.”

“You’ve worked hard for this,” he said.

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School awards also were named during the assembly.

• Maryetta Roderick was named Pleasant Vale Teacher of the Year.

• Tammi Long was named Teacher of the Month and Susie Semrad was named Support Staff member of the Month.

• Kristian Brooks, Jarrett Powell, Trevor Navratil, Eddie Winsett and Katelyn Stone were named March Star Students.

• District, regional and area quiz bowl championship team members recognized were Nicholas Payne, Jerry Green, Carter Postier, Blake Gabriel and Lexsie Mann.

• District and regional quiz bowl runner-up team members recognized were Summer Gonser, Riley Pearce, Rachel Millard, Candace Coonrod, Kamen Gill, Hannah Moore and Carsyn Morris.

• Spelling bee contest winners recognized were Nicholas Payne, champion, and Riley Pierce, runner-up, fifth and sixth grade, and Coleton Hammock, champion, and Paul Reddick, runner-up, third and fourth grade.

• State Geography Bee contest winner recognized was Nicholas Payne.

• Zaner Bloser Writing contest winners recognized were Mackenzie Gonser, first grade; Jaden Schram, second grade; Bucko Grade, fourth grade; and Megan Metcalf, sixth grade.                              

• Garfield County DEQ Calendar contest winners recognized were Madison Postier, first, Madison Cook, second and Kaleb Smith, third, in the kindergarten through second-grade division; Carli Woolsey, first, Morgan Flavell, second, and Raley Wilkinson, third, in the third- through fifth- grade division; and Cory Derr, second, and Megan Metcalf, third, in the sixth- through eighth-grade division.