Founding School

Eat, Exercise, Excel!'s (EEE) founding school is Anthony Elementary School in USD 453, Leavenworth, Kansas. EEE was developed by Ms. Janine Kempker, Principal of Anthony Elementary School. Anthony Elementary was a failing school desperate for a change. With the help of Dr. Stephen Schoenthaler, Principal Investigator, and The Sunflower Foundation, Ms. Kempker developed a program for Anthony Elementary that resulted in impressive turnarounds in academics, discipline, attitude, and health.

Anthony Elementary School; Leavenworth, KS

Anthony Elementary is a kindergarten through 5th-grade school which also has a 4-year-old At-Risk Pre-Kindergarten and Early Childhood Handicapped (3 to 5-year-old) students. It is an urban school with approximately 300 students, 63% of whom are a minority. Eighty-three (83) percent of Anthony Elementary's students receive a reduced price or free lunch.

BEFORE Eat, Exercise, Excel!, there were many challenges that interfered with student success.

1. High number of office referrals (4-10 daily) which consumed most of the principal's time
2. Majority of referrals from cafeteria or recess
3. Rate of violence at "Unsafe Schools" level
4. Poor student and teacher attendance
5. Poor student and teacher morale
6. Building climate filled with stress/tension
7. Character education, bully-proofing, and incentive programs were implemented with slight improvements, but there were no lasting gains
8. Academic levels below state requirements for No Child Left Behind (NCLB) or Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
9. Grade level planning almost non-existent
10. Only three out of 270 students met National Fitness Standards
11. 16% of students were significantly overweight
12. Teachers were frustrated and turnover averaged five per year,

AFTER Eat, Exercise, Excel!, there were dramatic changes that led to student success!

1. 95% decrease in office referrals
2. Improved student and teacher attendance
3. Very little food wasted at lunch time
4. Physical fitness improved. The number of students meeting National or Presidential Fitness standards increased from 3 in 2003, to 40 in 2004, to 52 in 2005.
5. Scores in Math and English portions of the Kansas Assessment tests rose from 10th in the district (last place) to 1st in Math and 2nd in English.
6. Mathematics scores qualified the school for the "Building Standard of Excellence" status as designated by the State of Kansas.
7. Parent/teacher conference attendance rose from 69% to 85%.
8. Parents Involved in education organization (similar to PTA) reactivated for the first time in more than 10 years.
9. Teacher turnover was reduced from five per year to one.
10. Buildng climate and student/teacher morale dramatically improved.
11. In-school suspensions for violent acts dropped 97% (34 in 2003 to 1 in 2004).
12. University of Saint Mary re-instated student-teacher partnership.
13. Number of school volunteers increased dramatically.
14. Built first community partnership, then began developing strong community partnerships.
15. Featured in a 6-minute spot on Fox 4 News titled "Eating Their Way to Success" in 2006.
16. Received the President's Award in 2006 from the Kansas Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (KAHPERD)
17. Honored with the "Healthy Kansas Healthy School" award by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment in May 2006.
18. Awarded the "Challenge Award of Recognition" by the Confidence in Kansas Public Education Task Force placing Anthony Elementary in the top 6% of schools in our state's district.
19. Recognized in Health magazine in September 2008 as #3 of America's Healthiest Schools.

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