Poplar Bluff has had a third elementary school earn the highest honor achievable for an educational institution in America, a National Blue Ribbon, only this time the accolade comes with an asterisk.
Eugene Field Elementary received official confirmation that all measurable objectives had been met just days before learning that the U.S. Department of Education had dismantled the program, established in 1982 for top schools—10,000 total in over four decades—to share best practices.
In lieu of receiving the blue flag that can be seen hanging at Lake Road and Oak Grove, the 2025 cohort was presented with large wooden plaques to commemorate their exemplary status for being among the state’s eight Gold Star Schools, the precursor to the national program through the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
“The recognition of excellence at multiple elementary buildings highlights the incredible and impactful work that is occurring in the district,” R-I Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Dr. Rondi Vaughn said during a recognition dinner for Eugene Field staff on Thursday, Feb. 12, at Westwood Center. “These buildings showcase relationships and a commitment to educating the whole child. They model the continuous work of reflecting and improving using effective instructional strategies that go beyond the classroom to encompass the entire building community.”
The week prior, the Missouri Gold Star Schools, initially announced last year, were celebrated during a special ceremony at DESE’s annual Powerful Learning conference held in Osage Beach featuring music by the Eldon Chamber Choir, an introduction by Education Commissioner Dr. Karla Eslinger and a video message from Gov. Mike Kehoe. According to a DOE correspondence, “the Administration encouraged state education leaders to recognize nominated schools on their own.”
Aligned with the Blue Ribbon criteria, Gold Star Schools nominated must be in the top 15 percent of public schools statewide based on the performance of all participating students in English language arts and mathematics, as well as in the top 40 percent of schools ranked by the outcomes of super subgroups. Additionally, the district's four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate had to be in the top 15 percent across Missouri, which reportedly stands at 93 percent, according to the DESE core data collection system.
A total of 71.76 percent of Eugene Field students scored proficient or advanced in math on the 2024 Missouri Assessment Program test, reflecting nearly a 17 percent improvement over the previous year, while 64.37 percent scored proficient or advanced on the ELA portion of the test and 77 percent in 2023, surpassing state averages on all counts. Based on iReady data collected at the midpoint this school year, on-level performance has more than doubled, increasing from 14 to 31 percent, while the percentage of students significantly behind dropped from 40 to 22 percent, according to Principal Kristen Spain.
“It’s incredibly meaningful to receive state and district level recognition for the work we pour into our students,” Spain said. “But at the heart of it all is something deeper: teaching students to take ownership of their learning, helping them uncover their leadership potential, and watching them begin to discover their purpose. That’s what this work is truly about. Our why is and will always be, our students.”
Spain, who is in her second year as building leader, gives much credit to her predecessor Jennifer Taylor, now R-I assistant superintendent of personnel, for “her vision, her drive, her pushing us out of comfort zones constantly and motivating us to dig deeper.” Taylor, in turn, attributes the staff’s ongoing achievements to the "systems ingrained" into the school culture.
“Good is not good enough at Eugene Field; I’m just saying,” Taylor commented. “It’s not about the banners on the wall that define success, it's when you have kids and families that adore your school, and your teachers loving their jobs, showing up even when it looks like they’ve given everything they’ve got.”
Eugene Field has been certified as a Lighthouse School, the highest designation under The Leader in Me framework based on Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” for the past decade. In 2020, Eugene Field was named an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Distinguished School for closing the achievement gap between student groups, an accolade also attained by the district's previous National Blue Ribbon Schools.
Based on Spain’s conversations with state officials, Eugene Field’s intentionality in creating systems that support students at all levels of learning, and how the elementary school operates on the premise that everyone has genius and can be a leader, is just part of the holistic approach that made their Blue Ribbon application stand out above others, according to the principal.
“Ultimately, leadership becomes ingrained in every stakeholder’s identity, fueling their commitment to continuous growth, responsibility and excellence,” the 20-page document states. “…Through a combination of rigorous [tiered] instruction, data-informed decisions and targeted interventions, teachers not only address academic deficits but also foster a belief in each student’s potential, empowering them to overcome challenges and reach their full capabilities.”
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Cutline: Pictured during the Powerful Learning conference are (left to right) Dr. Karla Eslinger, education commissioner; April Sandlin, teacher; Dr. Rondi Vaughn, assistant superintendent of curriculum; Jennifer Morin, speech instructor; Mary Schrag state BOE president; Kristen Spain, principal; Jennifer Taylor, assistant superintendent of personnel; Teresa Webb, teacher; and Juli Schalk, reading instructor.