Rogers Garden-Bullock bullish on attendance

For the first time in the school’s history — regardless of the name — there’s no room for new students at Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary School.

With 565 students enrolled, the school hit capacity for the first time since the building opened in 2009 as Rogers Garden Elementary School. And this year, with a new name and a full building, school staff members are hoping to keep it that way, bringing parents, community members and businesses into the fold to help students succeed.

“It can work, and it is working, and I’m expecting great things from this school,” Superintendent Diana Greene said during a special dinner ceremony at the school, located at 515 13th Ave West in Bradenton.

The two-hour event, which featured guest speakers, student performances and shoe giveaways to students with perfect attendance, constantly reiterated to students and parents in attendance that “Every Day Counts,” the motto taken on by the school district and the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.

“Am I up for the challenge? Yes, I am,” said Carolyn Wilson, the graduation enhancement technician at the school. The graduation enhancement technician positions were created in partnership with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and are employed in the district’s poorest schools. Wilson pitched the idea of the community dinner to Principal Pat Stream, who gave it the go-ahead.

And while the night featured many adult speakers, including Sheriff-elect Rick Wells, Bradenton Police Department Capt. William Fowler, Sheriff’s Lt. John Murrell and Minister Frank Jenkins, the students stole the show.

Marquis Carter, Za’yon Hill, Trayvon Spruill, Ja’mier Jones and Damareon Cummings performed an attendance rap; fifth-grade student Erline Constant gave a speech about attendance; Elijah Roberson sang a solo; and students from the Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County located at the school declared war on absenteeism through dance.

Through what officials described as an anonymous donor, two students who had perfect attendance for a month were each given a pair of new sneakers from Champs. The program piloted in two Manatee County schools last year. This year, students at four different schools can earn a chance to win a pair of sneakers each month if they go to school ever day.

For students and parents, the night served as a reminder to come in to school every day. For those in the community, the event was also a way to remind them of the school’s new name and new start.

Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary School opened as a “new” school in August after the school district closed down Orange Ridge-Bullock Elementary School and finally created an attendance zone for Rogers Garden, which opened as a choice-only school in 2009. The move was one in series of steps to even out enrollment in the urban corridor schools, which will help better position the district to build new schools in the growing areas, like Parrish.

Orange Ridge was also one of the district’s older schools, while Rogers Garden was new and more than half empty. The school board has not formally decided what to do with the Orange Ridge building and may be considering selling the building to a charter school.

The “new” school opened with big goals, spearheaded by Stream, who worked at Samoset Elementary School the year prior.

On the first day of school, enrollment was still below capacity, Stream said. But throughout the first few days and weeks, the students kept coming in and enrolling.

“Maybe word got out,” Stream said with a smile.

With one quarter finished and the second quarter heading to a close around winter break, Stream said the school staff is already seeing learning gains. And staff members are reiterating to the students that showing up and attending every day matters. A sign on every door states “simply the best.” And that’s what Stream wants her students to be.

The other day, a fourth-grade student asked Stream why she signs off every announcement by saying RGB — Rogers Garden-Bullock — is simply the best.

“The more I say it, the more you’re going to believe it,” she said. “It really does make a difference.”

This story was originally published November 16, 2016 at 9:08 PM with the headline "Rogers Garden-Bullock bullish on attendance."