DATE: January 13, 2015

WHAT: Celebration and Award Ceremony at Bucksport High School (Library)

WHEN: 10:00 am Thursday, January 15, 2015
CONTACT:

Susan Savell, 462-5088

Email: ssavell@spurwink.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

BUILDING ASSETS REDUCING

RISKS
Bucksport High School in RSU 25 has been awarded as a National BARR School of
Academic Excellence. The school has been implementing BUILDING ASSETS,
REDUCING RISKS (or BARR), a social emotional learning model. Since 1998, this
evidence-based model has proven to decrease educational disparities while increasing
achievement for all students.
Bucksport is one of two schools in Maine that has been included in an Investing in
Innovation (i3) Validation grant, the flagship innovation grant program from the United
States Department of Education. This fall, Noble High School in Berwick, began
implementation of BARR. These schools have also been supported in their efforts to
implement BARR by private funding from AT&T, the John T. Gorman Foundation, and
the Harold Alfond Foundation.
The BARR project is an amazing achievement and a testament to the extraordinary
work of the administration, teachers, and the students at Bucksport High School. I am
proud to congratulate everyone in the community that has made this distinction
possible, said Senator King. BARR is making a difference in students lives and
fostering student achievement. This innovative approach to education is all about
relationships and building a real learning community that extends outside of the
classroom and thats what its going to take to succeed in todays competitive world.
The National BARR School of Excellence commendation is reserved only for those
BARR schools that have been rigorously evaluated and proven to have strong and
sustained academic outcomes, are implementing the model with high fidelity, and have
established a culture focused on the development of the whole student. Several other
criteria must be met, including having a sustainability program in place for the long term;

the willingness to share BARR experience with other schools; and sustained, strong
administrative commitment and leadership.
Other schools that have been recognized as National BARR Schools of Academic
Excellence include Hemet High School in Hemet, California and St. Louis Park High
School in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Jim Boothby, the Superintendent of RSU 25, and his staff will be receiving the award at
a ceremony on January 15th in Bucksport. Bucksport High School has demonstrated
that by focusing on the systemic development of powerful relationships, leveraging
student data and capitalizing on each student's individual strengths, all students will
increase their academic performance. Bucksport HS and their community exemplify
what it means to be a National BARR School of Excellence and are leaders in this
imperative school movement, according to Angela Jerabek the founder of BARR.
The model will be implemented in additional schools in Maine over the next several
years through an i3 Validation grant managed by Spurwink Services. Recruitment of
both middle and high schools is now underway. For more information about this grant
opportunity, contact Susan Savell at ssavell@spurwink.org.
BUILDING ASSETS, REDUCING RISKS is available nationwide and it is listed on the
National Registry of Evidence-based Practices and Programs (NREPP). This is an
innovative and effective model for improving academic performance and fostering the
talents of all students, regardless of their differences.