Durham Elementary School
Principal's Page

Durham Elementary School

Home of Teamwork WORKS!

Blue Ribbon Schools Profile – Fall 2008

            High performing organizations are full of high performing people.  At Durham Elementary School, such a statement
rings true from parent, bus driver, custodian to secretary or master teacher as each entity plays a supportive role in
cultivating excellence in teamwork in the education of each of our students.

            Nestled along a picturesque Texas lane called Shady Oaks Drive in the affluent DFW Metroplex suburb of
Southlake, Texas, Durham Elementary School is home away from home for 475 pre-K through 4^th grade students.  This same campus also houses Durham Intermediate School, comprised of over 500 5th and 6th grade students.  All of the schools in the Carroll Independent School District, the largest Exemplary rated district in the State of Texas, call themselves the
Carroll Dragons.

Since opening its doors in 1995, Durham Elementary School students have achieved the rating of Exemplary
Achievement as categorized by Texas Education Agency.  Among the top 4% of Texas schools, in 2008 the school
was named as a Texas Business & Education Coalition Honor Roll School, signifying demonstration of three years
of consistent, high performance in all subjects compared to other schools serving similar student populations.

Durham Elementary School focuses with a collaborative vision of teamwork and inclusion in employing strategies for growth in student achievement at multiple levels. Students are involved in comprehensive literacy and math problem
solving “best practice” strategies in order to generate optimum learning opportunities.

A veteran Durham teacher writes:

          When I think about our best practices, there are too many things to get on one piece of paper.  We teach mathematics in a child-centered, hands-on approach, use non-fiction books, and fabulous reading comprehension strategies to beef up that high-interest learning…there is just too much to even share.  We are constantly talking to each other, researching, taking classes, trying and failing to revamping and trying again. Durham is a safe place to experiment in the quest of improvement and taking care of our kids.   It’s all done here and I am proud to be at DES.  What a blessing to walk through there doors with my own children and know that they are getting the very best of the best at CISD!