Two county elementary schools are among the group of initial honorees of the National Association of Elementary School Principals’ National Gold Star School Awards, symbolizing excellence in creating a positive culture and empowering adults to be active participants in students' success.
Arnold and Tyler Heights elementary schools are being honored as schools that demonstrate excellence across the program’s three core pillars: an established culture, empowered people, and optimal systems.
“Each is grounded in shared priorities such as inclusive practices, trusting relationships, high expectations for growth, and student and staff well being,” NAESP wrote in its award notification to principals.
Just three Maryland schools are among the 57 elementary and middle schools across the nation to be honored this year.
Arnold Elementary is one of 15 schools in Anne Arundel County to earn a five-star rating on the most recent Maryland Report Card and has consistently scored between the 94th and 99th percentile rank among all schools in Maryland for the past three years. As an established Arts Integration School, an AACPS Wellness School of Distinction, and a Maryland Green School, Arnold Elementary values the whole child approach to teaching through the arts, supports student and teacher wellness initiatives, and encourages environmental awareness and education.
In announcing the award, NAESP wrote of Arnold: “Enrichment opportunities, authentic arts based learning experiences, and integrated wellness cultivate student confidence, family engagement, and a positive school culture where students, families, and staff members feel respected, supported, and a sense of belonging.”
Said Arnold Elementary Principal Shauna Kauffman: “I am incredibly proud and excited for Arnold Elementary to receive this award,” Principal Shauna Kauffman said. “I believe the caring community we’ve built and the excellent instruction our teachers provide each day helps create a learning community where every student is inspired to grow, create, and thrive.”
Tyler Heights Elementary was the county’s first Community School and has integrated wellness initiatives to enhance student success and strengthen family engagement. Serving a community with the highest concentration of poverty in the county, the school currently maintains the highest attendance rate among all county Title I schools. The school has also been recognized as an AACPS Wellness School of Distinction and is home to the county’s first Dual Language program, both of which foster a culture of inclusion and empowerment.
The school has demonstrated a significant turnaround in academic performance in recent years, rising from two stars to four on the Maryland Report Card.
A positive culture of lifelong learning supports students, staff, and families at Tyler Heights, where students benefit from more than 600 seated hours of weekly extracurricular enrichment, families participate in ongoing parent education opportunities and staff engage in differentiated professional learning and coaching. This commitment to excellence is reflected in a highly skilled faculty, where 20 percent of teachers have achieved National Board Certification, and in the school’s high expectations for both teaching and learning.
“National recognition is such an honor, and this achievement is a collective Team Tyler effort as our families and staff bridge the home-school connection to support our children!” Tyler Heights Principal Julia Walsh said. “After a decade of serving this community, it’s inspiring to see the results of our sustained focus on transformative programming, and how the intentional efforts of our amazing teachers are positively impacting the well-being of students and families.”
The schools will receive their awards during NAESP’s 2026 National School Leaders Conference in July.