For the second time in five years, Broken Arrow Elementary School has been named one of the top preforming schools in the state.

The school was one of 43 Kansas elementary schools to receive the Governor’s Achievement Award for 2011.

To receive the award, Broken Arrow had to reach three goals:

• Earn the Kansas Standard of Excellence in both reading and math for 2011.

• Make Adequate Yearly Progress in reading, math and attendance.

• Rank in the top 5 percent of schools for performance on state assessments in reading and math.

Broken Arrow Principal Brian McCaffrey said the award was a surprise.

“We knew that we had done well on the state assessment last year, but we weren’t expecting any type of award for it,” he said.

Credit goes to the teachers and staff, who navigated through a year of budget cuts and fewer staff members, McCaffrey said.

“When faced with adversity, they deal with it head on and become stronger from it,” he said.

Throughout the year, the school has bench mark assessments to gauge the students’ learning.

“All year long they have a sense of urgency. They work really, really hard using windows of opportunity to work with kids and help them get to where they need to be and to the next level,” McCaffrey said.

In the next month, McCaffrey said Lawrence Superintendent Rick Doll will present the school with a plaque.

Broken Arrow received the Governor’s Achievement Award in 2007. In 2009, the school was one of five in Kansas to be named by the U.S. Department of Education as a No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School. The award honors schools for student achievement and helping close the achievement gap.

Throughout the state, 11 middle schools or junior highs and 18 high schools received the Governor’s Achievement Award. Other area schools winning the honor were Marion Springs Elementary School in Baldwin City, Lexington Trails Middle School in De Soto and Basehor-Linwood High School.