National Blue Ribbon Schools Program

William S. Gussner Elementary School is one of five elementary schools located in Jamestown, ND. Jamestown is rich in agriculture, business, and prides itself in valuing education. Along with their elementary schools, it has a middle school, high school, private university, a Head Start program, as well as the Ann Carlson Center for Children, which offers a K-12 education for children with physical disabilities.

Our school and district believes in working collaboratively as a “team” to initiate instruction, based on criteria such as goal setting, assessment, data review, coaching for instruction, and technology. We have been able to watch educational trends, move alongside them, and assist students in becoming all they can be.

Technology has played an important role throughout this process. Gussner  Elementary  teachers and our district technology coordinator have played key roles in assuring students have many opportunities to utilize technology in the classroom. Using technology to connect curriculums of different subjects is paramount for teachers.  Teachers use SMART Boards extensively in all content areas and work together to create content-driven files to share within grade levels.

Gussner’s PTO is instrumental in assisting with meeting the educational needs of our students. Building partnerships with our parents and community is done throughout the year through our Student Council, PTO, Staff  Jeans for Charity, Master Readers Program, to name just  a few. It truly does “Take a Village” and the collaborative spirit of the Gussner faculty, staff, parents, and the community of Jamestown makes every day count for us!