WNY Elementary school rankings

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The elementary school category was once the most volatile component of Business First's annual rankings. No longer.

Amherst's Smallwood Drive School ranks No. 1 again. It leads Western New York's elementary schools for the third consecutive year -- and the fourth out of five.

>> see the full list of area Elementary school rankings

"That's really a tribute to the staff at Smallwood and their commitment to excellence. And to the parents as well," says Laura Chabe, superintendent of the Amherst Central School District. "We're fortunate to have a community that is so supportive of education."

Full details will be available in Business First's 2009-10 Guide to Western New York Schools, which hits newsstands Friday. Highlights are also available at the newspaper's website: buffalo.bizjournals.com.

The present stability is quite a switch from the 2004-2006 period, when three public elementary schools, including Smallwood, took turns at the top of the standings. (Business First produced separate rankings of public and private schools until 2007, when the two lists were merged.)

Smallwood has been remarkably consistent since then. Its four-year rating for English language arts is second-best among all Western New York elementary schools, according to a Business First analysis of 2005-2008 test data. And its math rating also is second-highest in the eight-county region.

Chabe says the school's successes in English and math are interrelated, thanks in part to a districtwide policy.

"We have a strong curriculum that is focused on literacy," she says, "which I think has been instrumental in helping kids be successful in all subjects, not just English."

Business First assessed 292 elementary schools across Western New York, using four years of test data for fourth graders. All test scores came from the New York State Education Department.

The theme of stability extends to second place, which is held by Orchard Park's South Davis Elementary School, just as it was in 2008. Rounding out this year's top five are Maple East Elementary School (Williamsville), Southern Tier Catholic School (Olean) and Charlotte Avenue Elementary School (Hamburg).

Maple East leads all Western New York elementary schools in math, based on Business First's four-year analysis. Sixty-six percent of its fourth graders achieved superior scores (Level 4) on the statewide math test in 2008. The regional average was 24 percent.

Principal Cathy Mihalic is still learning the ropes at Maple East. She arrived in January from Hamburg's Armor Elementary School, which ranks 19th this year.

"I knew the (Williamsville) district had a long-standing reputation for excellence, and that Maple East was one of the highest-performing schools,"
she says. "I knew it would be a stimulating atmosphere, and it is. We have a very dedicated staff. They work hard to help our kids achieve at a higher rate."

Southern Tier Catholic, with 103 students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, is the smallest school in the upper echelon of the elementary school standings. It's also the fastest riser, soaring from 31st place in
2007 to 15th in 2008, then up to fourth place this year.

All of Southern Tier Catholic's fourth graders demonstrated basic skills (Level 3 or 4) on both the statewide English and math tests, a feat equaled by just six other Western New York schools.

"We have smaller classes, obviously, so we can give a good bit of one-on-one help to our kids," says Daniel McCarthy, the principal of Southern Tier Catholic. "Our teachers work very hard at that, and it pays off."

Forty-one schools are recipients of subject awards, which are given to the top 10 percent of all Western New York elementary schools in English language arts and mathematics.

Nineteen honorees have scored clean sweeps, taking awards in both fields.
Included in that group are Smallwood and the other nine members of the overall top 10.

Niagara-Wheatfield's Errick Road Elementary School, which ranks 23rd, also has a pair of subject awards. Principal Nora O'Bryan credits a personalized approach to student achievement.

"There's no such thing as one size fits all," she says. "If a student needs extra help, we provide it. If students are working above grade level, we find books and materials to push them even more."

The Business First rankings don't include private elementary schools that have opted out of the statewide testing program. Prominent in that group are Elmwood Franklin School and Park School of Buffalo.

>> see the full list of area Elementary school rankings