Celebrating Amqui Elementary

Amqui Elementary: The Best Kept Secret in Antioch
Posted on 02/14/2022
Amqui Elementary

Amqui staff

“We love you – and there is nothing you can do about it.”  

That message greets students at Amqui Elementary School every single day during morning announcements, immediately setting the tone for a day of supportive learning in a caring environment.  

Amqui, located in the Hunters Lane cluster in the northeastern part of Davidson County, is a place where teachers and staff believe all students are capable of excellence. Because it’s a School of Innovation, teachers and staff have focused student growth around getting to know and supporting each student while also creating meaningful, challenging learning experiences.  

“When you walk the hallways during any given school day, you’ll see students on task and engaged in classroom instruction,” says LaToya Cobb, executive principal at Amqui.  students reading books at amqui

Cobb attributes the school’s positive culture and climate for the nearly 430 students to two primary factors: dedicated staff members and the school’s Village system, which splits students and staff into five smaller communities.  

“When I first came to Amqui and met with the team, I knew we wanted to engage our students in a new way,” Cobb says. “We knew then that if students were happy and connected to school, they would have a greater chance of finding success.”  

One way Amqui guarantees Every Student is Known is by individualizing student learning through the Village system. The system encourages intentional collaboration and community by assigning students and teachers of all grade levels to one of five different villages.

Named after the common proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” these smaller learning communities meet monthly and dive into individual student interests and needs. This encourages relationship-building among students and teachers and celebrates exceptional student achievements. Students also receive targeted small-group instruction throughout the day to ensure they master key academic skills and state standards.

“Our Village system really helps us build sustainable community,” says Cobb. “We know that a child not embraced by its village will burn it down to feel its warmth, and these smaller teams help give students an even greater sense of belonging, strengthening their connection to our school.” 

Students and teachers are not the only ones who enjoy the smaller learning communities. Cobb surveys families often throughout the school year, and nearly all families agree: They are happy their student attends Amqui. The school earned a Level 5 Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) score in 2019, the highest score available for the state assessment that measures yearly student growth. They were also named a Model of Demonstration school by the state of Tennessee.  

From morning announcements to monthly celebrations to the rigorous academic environment, students at Amqui are establishing a strong educational foundation that will set the tone for their middle and high school years, all while being a part of – and contributing to – a caring and respectful community.  

“Everyone who comes into Amqui can feel our positive environment, and we’re very proud of that,” Cobb says. “It’s the best-kept secret in Madison. We embrace our community; we have high expectations; and everyone works together to be excellent on purpose – that’s our goal.”   

Facts about Amqui  

  • Amqui is an optional school families can choose to attend outside of their traditional zoned school.
  • Amqui opened in 1947 as Anderson Lane School. The name was eventually changed to Amqui after the Madison train station that was once in the area. 
  • The school colors are royal blue and gold.  

 

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