Building a Blue Ribbon School: Lessons in Leadership, Collaboration and Growth

The start of a new school year brings new goals for student growth and stronger instruction, but what does it take to turn those priorities into lasting results? Charles Elementary of Richmond Community Schools’ recognition as an Indiana Blue Ribbon School provides a look at the leadership, collaboration, and shared responsibility that can sustain improvement over time.

At Charles Elementary, Principal Ashley Garard and Instructional Coach Kim Weber don’t have to scour their halls to find educators ready to step up. Instead, teachers come to them, eager for more leadership opportunities and the responsibilities that come with those roles. It’s a phenomenon that represents the greater school culture of excellence and leadership model - and a reason why the campus was named a 2025 Indiana Blue Ribbon School.

“Charles Elementary is symbolic of the consistent progress that we’ve been making these past several semesters,” said Superintendent Dr. Curtis Wright. “It really is a great example of the systems and structures, especially the instructional framework, that have been put in place. There has just been such a consistent effort.” 

That consistency is reflected in the school’s results. Multiple student subgroups, including special education students and Black students, improved by entire performance levels on ILearn, and the school exceeded its I-Ready growth targets, surpassing its goal of 70% growth during the 2024-25 school year. Leading the effort is Principal Garard, who stepped into the role with a focus on building on the school’s existing strengths.

Strong Schools Build on What Already Works

Principal Garard moved to the school from her prior position as Assistant Principal at Julia E. Test Intermediate School. While she knew that entering a principal role would be demanding, she came in confident that she would be building with a team that included strong, veteran coaches like Weber and the systems and structures that could elevate the school as she led it. She credited the school’s weekly grade-level planning and top-notch professional learning communities as foundational factors of the school’s success.

“I knew I needed strong people on my team when I was interviewing for the role,” Principal Garard said. “When I first became principal, I stepped back and tried to listen to where everyone was coming from to understand the big picture. Then I would think through, ‘Why did we do what we have done in the past, and how can I support that to keep it moving forward, or does it need to be changed?’”

A pillar of Charles Elementary’s success and growth is its effective Instructional Leadership Team, which includes teacher leaders and is supported by the National Institute of Excellence in Teaching (NIET). Over time, that team has helped transform how the school approaches continuous improvement and collaboration.

“I’ll never forget when one of our 40-year veteran educators said, ‘This is what we’ve been waiting for,’” Dr. Curtis said. “NIET’s framework brought intentionality, collaboration, and sustainability. It was different and unique from all the other initiatives. The fact that this work is established and built around strong leadership like Garard’s, the pride and confidence in the school are at a much higher level than before.”

Principal Garard was motivated to elevate professional learning and did so through building educator capacity and supporting teacher leadership roles. The internal demand for strong feedback and mentorship has strengthened the collaborative environment in the school.

“Charles Elementary is a family. It's all about that collaboration, teachers having their own voice, and intentional planning,” said Weber. “Before, when we would meet, we weren’t always looking at where we were going. Now, everybody is on the same page - and if not, then we ask, ‘How do we shore that up?’ Because we believe in equitable experiences for our kids.”

“There is no teacher in Charles Elementary that’s not working for all kids,” said Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education Elizabeth Markward. “These aren’t just my kids - they’re all of our kids.”

High Expectations for Every Student, Every Grade

Leadership’s focus on sustained growth for all students was reflected in its data, which helped distinguish the school for the Blue Ribbon Award. In typical Charles Elementary fashion of striving for the best, the school raised expectations for the 2025-26 school year to 65% typical growth. By the end of the first semester, 117 of roughly 300 students - nearly 40% of the population - had already met their annual growth target. That accelerated growth across groups of students is one of the factors that sets Charles Elementary apart.

Another reason Charles Elementary has been successful in accelerating learning is that Principal Garard and her team think outside the grade - or, in Weber and Principal Garard’s words, “Vertically articulate.” While students are focused on achievement in their current classrooms, it’s up to the school to ensure that learning is effectively preparing kids for their next year.

“I don't think anybody thinks of themselves as a solo act,” said Weber. “It's very team-oriented, and they all play their part in achieving those goals.”

In an innovative twist, Charles Elementary goes beyond supporting grade-level groups of educators to collaborate and promotes collaboration across grades. This helps educators understand and connect student learning and aligns grades to larger school priorities and goals.

Recognition Is a Milestone, But Not the Finish Line

Indiana’s Blue Ribbon recognition confirmed what Charles Elementary already believed - that collaborative learning, shared growth, and high expectations can create sustainable improvement for all students.

“Getting this recognition was hands down the best,” said Weber. “The Blue Ribbon was a ‘Look, we are getting acknowledged for something we are putting so much work into.’”

In a building where teachers actively seek leadership roles and take ownership of schoolwide success, momentum is driven by everyone in the building. With a milestone year winding down, Principal Garard and Coach Weber look forward to continuing to improve upon a system that they know works.