DUNCANSVILLE, BLAIR COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Pennsylvania Department of Education is recognizing the accomplishments of Foot of Ten Elementary School in Duncansville.

The award is based on their students’ academic growth over two school years.

The staff and faculty at the school said their goal is to encourage students to keep moving forward and realize even if they don’t understand something today, that doesn’t mean they won’t figure it out tomorrow.

The Keystone Award for Academic Excellence is given to Distinguished Title I schools, whose academic growth in students is in the top five-percent for the state.

“The staff here at Foot of Ten has done a great job in knowing all of the students, and then setting a plan for those students based on the classes and the individual students, so they are meeting the needs of those students and really looking at it from a growth mindset,” Assistant Superintendent Francine Endler said.

Endler said their teachers are always adjusting how they can better instruct their students.

“They look at the data surrounding the students that they are currently teaching and ask themselves, “So what are their strengths? What are their areas of need? and then how can that be addressed in the classroom,” Endler said.

And not just help students learn, but built the confidence they need to grow and succeed in the future.

“They are ready for the challenges that are presented to them, whether it’s a test, whether it’s a project, or whether it’s just getting ready to go to the next grade. I think they do a great job getting the kids ready for that,” Endler said.

To see how your child’s school scored, you can go to education.pa.gov and search “PSSA results.”