St. Paul school conquers the education achievement gap

Trillion Woodberry can go on and on about his green tree frog and brown toad. About the crickets he feeds them. About his mom accidentally drowning another toad by putting water in its cage. But if you really want to get Trillion going, ask him about space -- outer space, the space shuttle, the International Space Station or astronauts.

"I have a model space shuttle. It's about this big," the 6-year-old said, holding his fingers just a few inches apart. "Its bay doors are open. I also have books about space. A lot of them."

And what does Trillion want to be when he grows up? "An engineer. I want to design spaceships."

That Trillion's interest in aerospace studies was sparked by Farnsworth Aerospace Magnet Elementary School in St. Paul shouldn't be surprising. The fact that Trillion is one of many minority students at Farnsworth doing as well, if not better, than white students also shouldn't surprise anyone, officials said.

As districts such as St. Paul vow to tackle the achievement gap, there are high-poverty, high-minority schools that seem to be making a difference. How? At Farnsworth, they have high expectations for all kids, take the success of every student personally and, well, they just seem to make learning fun.

Farnsworth is one of two "beat the odds" schools honored Monday night by the Minnesota Business Partnership with an award of $10,000 and computer equipment. Kelliher Elementary in Kelliher is the other.

Farnsworth Principal Troy Vincent said there is another key to Farnsworth's success: "No excuses."

Is boosting student achievement for all children really that simple? "Yes, it is," he said. "If you treat them like they're yours."

A glance at his school's test scores shows it doing about as well or better than state averages on reading and math tests over the past three years. But it's Farnworth's work with low-income and minority students that causes the school to shine, with scores far outpacing state averages for those groups. In all, 76 percent of its students were proficient in math on statewide tests last spring; 73 percent were proficient in reading. Yet 74 percent come from minority groups and 77 percent live in poverty -- groups that historically struggle in school.

Vincent, principal at the school for the past seven years, said teachers, parents and students at Farnsworth simply find a way to get better. Their goal is "88 [percent proficient] in '08.'" Vincent said.

The principal said he tracks student progress every week, so no one falls too far behind without his knowing. Children who need extra help get it in small groups, he said. Writing is constantly stressed and student work is continually on display.

Sometimes, Vincent said, he has to find a way around the limits of his budget. For example, he said, about 70 Farnsworth kids have been in the school band. But 100 students want to be in the band this year. Problem is, the school doesn't have enough musical instruments -- or the money -- for 30 more kids in band. "Do you think that's going to stop us?" Vincent asked. "It's not."

Vincent plans to use some of the $10,000 prize to buy instruments. He also plans to pay for first- and second-graders to go to the Kennedy Space Center in Houston to see the giant pool that astronauts use to learn how to work in weightlessness. Farnsworth students take many trips. The school even has its own flight simulator.

"Astronauts visit the school. Pilots visit the school," said Lewis Scott, executive director of Elementary Education for the St. Paul Public Schools. "It makes learning so much fun. They want to have fun when they're learning. And if you make it that way, they'll learn whatever you put in front of them."

On Monday, fifth-grade teacher Jackie Huber was practicing "brain gym" with her class to help them recite multiplication tables. As they counted by 3s, then 4s, then 5s, they repeatedly flapped and pumped their arms and legs in a kind of aerobic exercise. It helps recall, said Huber. Afterwards, her students talked about why they think they do so well.

"We follow directions really well," said John Chidester.

"The kids listen respectfully," said Krisna Chann.

Speech and language teacher Linda Pruden has taught in 29 buildings over her career. This is the best for teachers and administrators working together, she said. They take the achievement of every student personally.

"The one thing I really notice is that every child here is everybody's child," she said.

James Walsh • 651-298-1541

James Walsh • jwalsh@startribune.com