National Blue Ribbon Schools Program

John Z. Leyendecker Elementary School is one of 20 elementary schools in the Laredo Independent School District located on the west side of Laredo, Texas. Leyendecker borders a historical landmark area that encompasses the first middle school and the first high school. Established in 1953, Leyendecker continues to serve and prepare students to become successful independent thinkers in our society. Faculty and staff analyze student data and display an urgency to perform at high levels of understanding. Monitoring academic outcomes encourages teachers and students to be competitive in local, state, and federal accountability. The instructional team analyzes student data to close the achievement gaps of all subgroups and ensure mastery in all academic performances. Leyendecker's administrators, teachers, and parents promote a sense of commitment towards student achievement and student success.

For the past three years, Leyendecker received academic distinction designations from the Texas Education Agency. The school earned four distinctions in 2017 and two distinctions in 2018. Then in 2019, administrators, teachers, and stakeholders committed to perform at the highest levels of accountability. Leyendecker achieved all six elementary distinctions: ELA/Reading, Mathematics, Science, Comparative Academic Growth, Comparative Closing the Gaps, and Postsecondary Readiness. These distinctions recognize the school as an "A" campus for exemplary performance. As a National Blue Ribbon School, John Z. Leyendecker Elementary School exemplifies a shared vision, a culture of high expectations, and systems that serve as a driving force to impact student learning at a mastery level.