Of 48 schools nationwide, two in our area have been awarded as Schools to Watch. Now, the faculty and students of Olmstead Elementary and James Bazzell Middle are sharing the secret behind their success.

The students at Olmstead Elementary are keeping their skills sharp. After all, they've been named a national School to Watch for the second time. How'd they do it?

"I think that one thing we do at Olmstead that's special are the relationships we form with students," says Olmstead Special Education Teacher Brandi Violette. "We care about them as a person. It also helps that we're such a small school, so we're able to form those relationships."

"It kinda’ helps the students feel better around the teachers," says Olmstead 7th grader Addie Baldwin. "It makes it easier to learn more."

Just an hour away, James Bazzell Middle's become a School to Watch too.

"I think it's because our teachers help us so much with anything they can and the students try to do their best on everything we do," says James Bazzell Middle student Casey Williams.

"One of the common things people say when they come to visit our school is, 'I'm really impressed at how close-knit everyone seems to be'," Principal Rick Fischer adds.

"Our teachers are really dedicated to helping us and everybody wants to work hard and do well in our school," says 8th grader Elizabeth Bomar.

"These teachers know their children intimately," explains Media Specialist Carolyn Pitchford. "They learn which children respond to praise, which children respond to prodding. These kids feel like these children are family."

Whether these teachers are in Logan or Allen County, they say it takes more than just teaching out of a book to get an honor like this.

"Yes, we're very tight knit," Pitchford concludes. "This is a family here of kids and adults."

The Schools to Watch program rewards a school for a three-year period. After that, schools are free to re-apply for the title.