ASHLEY — Buckeye Valley East Elementary School was named a Hall of Fame School last week by the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators (OAESA).

Principal Leah Ann Childers said the school learned it had been nominated earlier this school year, and the building leadership team agreed that it would be a “good opportunity for us to use the application process as a collaborative professional development activity.”

“After we accepted the nomination, we completed an extensive written application,” Childers said. “Our staff utilized some staff meeting times to brainstorm responses to the application process and then a smaller team wordsmithed and wrote what would be a 20-page explanation of our entire school’s learning and operations methods.”

She added the school used its application to focus on how it teaches kids and what the school does with students who are having difficulty learning.

“We were able to express our overarching philosophy of doing whatever it takes to help our students grow,” Childers said. “There are no boundaries in utilizing the expertise in the building to help students across grade levels.”

In February, the school learned it was moving forward in the process and was told a representative from OAESA would be visiting the school to conduct a tour and interviews.

“Our entire building really got to work preparing for the visit,” Childers said. “Several students led our raters on a tour of the building, pointing out important aspects of the building, telling stories, and talking about student work. They even surprised me by asking the custodian for permission to take their guests on a ‘back of the house’ tour through the kitchens, custodial areas and delivery docks!”

Childers said different teams were interviewed about the school’s programs and progress, including interviews with a community group, a staffing group and Childers, along with Superintendent Dr. Ric Stranges.

Childers added she was “absolutely elated” when the building was selected for a Hall of Fame award, which “recognizes schools that engage faculty, students, and the community to provide a quality school experience.”

“This is a huge boost for our staff, students and community,” Childers said. “It’s a school that has largely operated under the radar, without big moments of recognition. The staff works hard, does what’s best for kids, and engages with our families and the community at large. They get a lot of things right, and it’s amazing that they’ve been recognized for that!”

Childers said she appreciates “every single person who makes (BV East) a special place for kids.”

“I’ve worked in several districts and buildings, and BV East gets it right,” Childers said. “It makes me proud to be a Buckeye Valley alumna and a leader at Buckeye Valley East.”

Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903.